With Assembly elections due in about 10 months, the ruling AIADMK is expediting the process of revamping its district units, which is pending for long.
On Monday, the “Group of Five” — Ministers S.P. Velumani and P. Thangamani; deputy coordinators K.P. Munusamy and R. Vaithilingam and organisation secretary Natham R. Viswanathan — met at the party headquarters for nearly for four hours and discussed “organisational issues”.
As the discussions remained inconclusive, the group may meet once again before submitting its proposals to the party coordinator and co-coordinator, O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister respectively.
There has been a perception among several sections in the AIADMK that it is lagging behind arch rival DMK as the latter had formed new district units long ago. The announcement on the formation of new units was anxiously expected throughout June, said a party functionary from the southern districts.
The creation of new district units in the party has been compelled by the State government establishing new revenue districts.
For example, the revenue district of Vellore has been trifurcated into Ranipet and Tirupattur. But the party has only two units — Vellore (East and West). To take care of Tirupattur, one more district unit has to be formed.
At present, there are 56 district units in the party. Though there is a consensus that the number has to be increased, there is still lack of clarity how much it should increased by. According to another office-bearer, the total number can go up to 64.
There are political reasons too. At present, most of the district secretaries are those who are perceived to be followers of the Chief Minister. those who belong to the erstwhile group led by the Chief Minister. The creation of new units can accommodate some of those who stood by the Deputy Chief Minister at the time of his “dharma yudham” in 2017. In addition, the party would like to remain a cohesive force if and when V. K. Sasikala, former interim general secretary of the party, comes out of Bengaluru jail, a few months ahead of the end of her term, and seeks to enter into politics again, a veteran points out.