Chennai, Oct 12:
The AIADMK is witnessing renewed internal dissent following its poor performance in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections, with disgruntled leaders reportedly stepping up consultations to challenge party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s leadership.
According to reports, former Ministers S.P. Velumani, C.V. Shanmugam, Thangamani and Natham Viswanathan have been holding discussions at Velumani’s residence for the third consecutive day. The meetings come after the AIADMK finished third in both constituencies, which it had won in the Assembly general election held just six months earlier. The results have reportedly caused considerable dissatisfaction among sections of the party leadership.
The latest developments follow differences between Palaniswami and a group of former Ministers, including Velumani and Shanmugam, after the AIADMK won only 47 seats in the Assembly election. The differences reportedly escalated when 25 MLAs led by Velumani extended support to the TVK government. Subsequently, six of them resigned as MLAs and joined the TVK.
Following the developments, Palaniswami removed some leaders perceived to be working against him from their party posts and later accommodated them in other positions, except as district secretaries. However, the disgruntled group had largely remained silent until now.
The AIADMK’s third-place finishes in Madurantakam and Dharapuram have reportedly provided fresh impetus to the dissenting faction. The continued meetings at Velumani’s residence have triggered renewed speculation about the possibility of another round of internal confrontation over Palaniswami’s leadership.
While the immediate focus remains on the by-election setback, the developments could bring the party’s internal differences back into the spotlight as it seeks to recover from its electoral losses. However, the outcome of the consultations and whether the dissenting leaders will take any formal steps against Palaniswami remain unclear.