Chennai, May 11:
The newly elected members of the AIADMK came to the oath-taking event for the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday as two groups, apparently indicating a rift in the party, post the April Assembly election.
A group of MLA-designate including former state ministers KP Munusamy and Thalavai N Sundaram, accompanied party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami to the Assembly to officially take oath as MLA.
Another group under former state minister SP Velumani and accompanied by former minister Dr C Vijayabaskar arrived shortly thereafter.
Former minister C Ve Shanmugam could not make it on time.
Normally, the AIADMK members assemble at the entrance of the Assembly House and enter as a single entity. But today, they presented a picture of contrast.
Following the party’s dismal performance in the April 23 Assembly election, managing to win only 47 seats, there have been rumblings within AIADMK seeking a change of guard.
While taking the oath as MLA, AIADMK’s K Mohan from Panruti, broke down seeing a huge portrait of party leader and late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the House. Her’s was among the portraits of former chief ministers put up in the House. He uttered “honourable revolutionary leader Amma” and wept. He affixed his signature (after taking the oath) which marked the completion of the formal oath-taking of the newly elected legislators.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was the first to take the oath as a legislator.