Nagapattinam: Tension prevailed here on Monday for some time in front of the office of the Nagapattinam MLA, M Tamimuun Anzari, where he held a spot ‘opinion ballot’ on whom “I should support (Makkal Karuthukketpu)” in the on going race for the Chief Minister’s post between two factions of the AIADMK, involving the caretaker Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) and Ms. V.K. Sasikala, the party’s general secretary and AIADMK legislature party leader. Anzari represents the Muslim outfit, ‘Manitha Neya Jananayaga Katchi (MNJK)’.
Police said the trouble started when a group of supporters of O Panneerselvam expressed their opinion in the form of ballot that their MLA Tamimuun Anzari should support Panneerselvam. As the word spread, more and more people came to the spot and asked for ‘ballot papers’ to let know their preference for Chief Minister’s post.
Meanwhile, as some supporters of Anzari took away the ballot box, saying that they kept only 2,000 ballots and all of them were exhausted, they then locked the MLA’s office and left the place.
However, those gathered there raised pro-Panneerselvam slogans. The police had tough time to control the crowd and persuaded them to disperse peacefully.
Anzari who is also the general secretary of MNJK and won the 2016 Assembly election from Nagapattinam constituency on the AIADMK’s ‘Two Leaves’ symbol told DC over phone that most of the people appreciated his move and expressed their happiness by saying that “you are respecting the sentiments of the people, especially the voters of the Nagapattinam Assembly constituency.”
The ballots will be placed before the party’s 12-member high-level committee in Chennai on Tuesday. After having discussions with them, his decision would be finalised in a couple of days, he said.
Sources said that both the groups supporting Mr. Panneerselvam and Ms. Sasikala respectively were about to clash with each other. However, police averted their timely intervention. Anzari nonetheless, denied this.
