A former Lok Sabha MP from Ramanathapuram, he was in the eye of a storm over his reported remarks against the party's top leader and former Chief Minister K Palaniswami, during a recent meeting of district secretaries held here. A release from AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, the joint coordinator, here said Raja was removed from all his posts, including the primary membership and from the position of party's minorities wing secretary. 

Terming it a disciplinary action, it said he acted against party principles, aired views against the party's leadership's decisions and brought disrepute to the party. Anwar Raja who was the Tamil Nadu Minister for Labour during the 2001-06 AIADMK regime had also reportedly batted for V K Sasikala, who was eased out of the party years ago. For well over a year, the 72-year old leader had been voicing divergent views in respect of issues like AIADMK's electoral alliance with the BJP, the leadership question and so on, all of which did not go down well with the party high command. The AIADMK is led by Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, both former Chief Ministers.