Chennai, Oct 5:
Amid growing wave of defections from the opposition AIADMK, two-time former MLA N.Murugumaran on Sunday quit the party and joined the ruling TVK of Chief Minister Vijay.
A former AIADMK organizing secretary at Kattumannarkoil in Cuddalore district, which has a considerable Vanniyar and dalit vote base, Murugumaran accused the AIADMK leadership, especially General Secretary Edappadi K.Palaniswami (EPS), of sidelining committed and loyal party workers while favoring wealthy candidates and money-driven selections.
He also expressed his utmost dissatisfaction over being denied a ticket to contest from his former constituency, Kattumannarkoil, while accusing EPS of destroying the AIADMK. He also levelled various charges including sidelining the real cadre of the AIADMK and blamed him for the party’s rout in successive polls.
After sending his resignation letter to the AIADMK leadership, he met TVK General Secretary and Water Resources Minister N.Anand in Dharapuram hours before the campaigning for the October 6 bypolls to end, and formally inducted himself into the TVK.
A two time Legislatore from Kattumannarkoil Assembly segment, Murugumaran’s exit marked yet another desertion from AIADMK, coming in backdrop of several senior leaders, former Ministers, MPs and six MLAs, quitting it and joining the TVK.
A few days back senior most and veteran AIADMK leader, former Minister, 4-time MLA and a former MP S.Semmalai had quit the party and joined the TVK three days back. A loyal foot soldier and leader of the AIADMK for decades having been associated with the party since the MGR era and later with J.Jayalalithaa, he had earlier announced that he would be staying away from active politics for a few months without disclosing his future plans. However, he joined the TVK accusing EPS of weakening the party and his failure to take adequate steps to strengthen it.