Madurai: Simmering differences within the ruling AIADMK camp led by Chief Minister Edapaddi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. O Panneerselvam came out in the open on Saturday during a party flag hoisting ceremony held near Madurai.
It was the first political meeting being attended by the Chief Minister Palaniswami after their reunited group had won the party’s Two Leaves’ symbol. However, Mr Panneerslevam and his supporters kept away from the function.
The event was organised by the Revenue minister R B Udayakumar, also AIADMK Amma Peravai state secretary at Kappalur near the city. The Chief Minister hoisted the party flag on a 100-ft tall flag post and also released the coveted party symbol designed in plastic, at the venue.
However, Mr Pannerselvam’s name was not found engraved next to Mr Palaniswami’s name in the flag post pedestal. Instead, the names of the Revenue minister, Mr Udayakumar and the Thiruparankundram MLA AK Bose were seen engraved there. Mr Pannerselvam’s name was found engraved on the other side of the pedestal.
Even when Mr. Palaniswami and the Revenue minister Udhayakumar addressed the party cadres, they skipped the name of Panneerselvam. And his picture was also not found in many posters put up for the event.
When the CM’s camp was celebrating the event, Panneerselvam went to offer worship at the Yoga Narasimha temple in Yanamalai and later left for Ramanathapuram. His loyalists, Sholavandan MLA K Manickam and Madurai South MLA S.S. Saravanan, did not attend.
