Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam, painted a picture of unity at their party's founding day here on Wednesday. As the AIADMK turned 47, the party celebrated the occasion in a grand manner at the party headquarters at Royapettah.
Mr Palaniswami and Mr Panneerselvam, who are the joint coordinator and coordinator of the party, hoisted the flag, garlanded the statues of party founder MGR and late CM J. Jayalalithaa. Both the leaders were given a rousing reception by hundreds of AIADMK cadres who had thronged the party office. Scores of enthusiastic party members lined up on either side of the road leading to the party office as Palaniswami, Panneerselvam, ministers and senior leaders garlanded the statue of Bharat Ratna and AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. They also distributed sweets to the party cadres to mark the occasion.
Earlier, in an epistle to party cadres both the leaders had underscored the importance of maintaining unity in the party and protecting it at all cost. On the occasion, the kin of seven AIADMK workers who lost their lives during party related work in the state were each provided Rs 2 lakh, those injured were given '50,000 each. Also, the ruling AIADMK launched a helmet awareness campaign and a mobile app for blood donation.
Jayakumar dares Dhinakaran to resign and face fresh poll: Fisheries minister D. Jayakumar dared AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran to give up his R. K. Nagar Assembly constituency and face fresh elections to prove his strength.
Referring to Dhinakaran's claim that he would "retrieve" the AIADMK, Mr Jayakumar said the AMMK leader would hardly stand any chance of retaining his R. K. Nagar seat if there were to be a re-election.
Exuding confidence that the AIADMK would survive the next 100 years Mr Jayakumar said the ongoing celebrations are a befitting reply to its political adversaries, who presumed that the party would not last following the demise of Jayalalithaa. "We will continue to survive for the next 100 years, will celebrate the golden jubilee in the next three years and diamond jubilee after 25 years," he said.
