The alliance between AIADMK and PMK will continue for the next assembly polls also as both chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam are very keen to have the Vanniyar-dominated PMK on board,” a senior AIADMK leader close to the CM camp who is now involved in the cadre enrolment drive said.

Party leader OPS had also been wishing the PMK leader on his birthday and important festivals in an effort to continue and maintain cordial relations with the senior leader Ramadoss, the senior functionary of the ruling party said.

The AIADMK top brass believes that they have the backing of Gounder and Thevar communities that are the predominant population in western and southern districts of the state. So, by keeping the Vanniyar-dominated PMK, the party hopes it could perform well in northern Tamil Nadu as well.

“Already a section of former MPs and MLAs belonging to the Vanniyar community from Tiruvallur, Tiruttani, Arakkonam, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi have started rallying behind senior minister C Ve Shanmugham and the cadre enrolment drive has picked up pace,” the senior leader said adding that party has given a free hand for ministers like Shanmugham and M C Sampath to operate within their north Tamil Nadu jurisdiction.

Earlier in the day, a joint statement issued by AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the party district secretaries to send the filled in application forms for the cadre enrolment drive.

The filled-in forms along with the membership fee should reach the party headquarters on or before August 10 and this date will not be extended further, the statement read.

The statement also noted that only those with the party enrolment cards will be allowed to contest and vote in the upcoming party organisational polls.