“Ever since the demise of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK has been beset by problems and looks weak today because people like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others are dictating terms and interfering in the party’s governance ,” contended party MLA A.K. Bose here on Friday.
Speaking at a public meeting in Thirumangalam near here to mark the party’s 46th anniversary, Mr. Bose, known for his controversial remarks, asked, “Who gave Mr. Modi the authority to dictate terms to us [AIADMK]?”
After a pause, he went on to accuse some within the AIADMK of causing damage and bringing disrepute to the party, without naming anyone in particular.
“Started by MGR in 1972 in Tamil Nadu and later taken to great heights by Jayalalithaa, the party has become the third largest in Parliament, but has been losing its sheen over the past seven months,” he said.
“Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami should boldly act against self-appointed VVIPs within the party, whose sole objective is to be in power. Only when such elements are removed, will the party be able to live for another 100 years,” he said.
Downplaying the legislator’s accusations, Revenue Minister R.B. Udayakumar said, “The AIADMK can’t be dismantled or weakened by a few for their own interests.”
‘No internal divisions’
Meanwhile, the factions of Chief Minister and AIADMK (Amma, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister and coordinator of the party O. Panneerselvam played down reports of differences between the two on the party’s candidate for the R.K. Nagar bypoll.
Earlier in the day, E. Madhusudhanan, former Minister and the nominee of the AIADMK (PTA) for the now-cancelled by-election, which was originally scheduled to take place in April, was reported to have criticised Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar for demanding that a member of the fishermen community be fielded from R.K. Nagar — a position which, if adopted, would deny Mr. Madhusudhanan the party’s nomination.
When asked by The Hindu to clarify their position, the two leaders declined to do so and said, “Please ignore this.”
Mr. Jayakumar, who represents Royapuram in north Chennai, said, “It is for the party to decide who should contest in R.K. Nagar.” Mr. Madhusudhanan, who was elected from the constituency in 1991, said, “I need to talk to OPS (Mr. Panneerselvam) first.”