CHENNAI: In a desperate bid to reassert the family's supremacy, AIADMK deputy general secretary T. T. V. Dhinakaran on Friday announced that the party would support NDA's Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, a decision that has been "approved by jailed general secretary V. K. Sasikala."
Two days after the AIADMK headquarters issued a statement announcing the party's support to Mr Kovind after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami over phone, Mr Dhinakaran came out with a separate statement on Friday which had the stamp of the Mannargudi family all over it. "As per the orders of AIADMK (Amma) General Secretary VK Sasikala, I announce with joy that MPs from the Amma faction, besides MLAs in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and alliance party MLAs will vote for Ram Nath Kovind, who is contesting the Presidential polls on behalf of BJP," Mr Dhinakaran said in the statement.
Mr Dhinakaran's announcement puts to rest any speculation about AIADMK votes getting split in the July 17Presidential elections. Though the factions of OPS and Edappadi K Palaniswami had pledged their support to Mr Kovind, the MLAs owing allegiance to Mr Dhinakaran had kept mum, saying only their leader Sasikala can take a decision in this regard.
The separate statement from Mr Dhinakaran announcing the support "with approval from Sasikala" is seen as a desperate attempt to reassert the family's supremacy in the party. The AIADMK Government led by Mr Palaniswami had distanced itself from Mr Dhinakaran and Ms Sasikala asking them to keep away from the affairs of the party and the administration. In the 234-member state Assembly, the Amma faction has 122 MLAs while the Puratchi Thalaivi Amma camp led by Panneerselvam has 12 legislators. The other one is the Speaker.
