AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan and party coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam went into a huddle at the latter’s residence in Greenways Road on Monday evening, raising speculation on whether the rift in the ruling party was widening yet again.

Madhusudhanan

Chennai:

Before meeting Panneerselvam, Madhusudhanan also met Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani, party sources said.

  

The veteran leader who recently lost the RK Nagar byelection is also expected to make few important announcements concerning the party on Tuesday.

This development follows Panneerselvam’s announcement at the AIADMK Executive Council meeting held last week that he was willing to resign from his constitutional post to work for the success of the party in the 2019 parliamentary elections. 

 

Commenting on the development, a minister, requesting anonymity, said that it was true that there was some tension between the Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam camps related to sharing posts in the co-operative elections. 

“But, I am not aware if there is any major rift in the party,” he said. 

Earlier in the day, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, when asked by media persons about possible rift between the two camps which merged last year, dismissed the allegations as mere speculation and said that the party remained united.