AMMK’s Thanga Tamilselvan to join the DMK after talks with AIADMK break down

Talks with the AIADMK broke down due to opposition to his entry into the party from Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, sources tell TNM.
AMMK’s Thanga Tamilselvan to join the DMK after talks with AIADMK break down
AMMK’s Thanga Tamilselvan to join the DMK after talks with AIADMK break down

Disqualified MLA and AMMK leader Thanga Tamilselvan is set to join the DMK on Friday. This, after talks with the AIADMK broke down due to opposition to his entry into the party from Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, sources tell TNM. 

It is no secret that the former Andipatti MLA was miffed with AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran after the party's massive loss in the recent elections. He had made it abundantly clear in multiple interviews that people did not accept the party without the two leaves symbol. He further pointed out that AMMK did not consult its leaders regarding important decisions and that he had several differences of opinion with the leadership. 

He was initially in talks with a senior minister in the AIADMK and there was a discussion on his return to the party. 

"But Deputy CM O Panneerselvam was against this because during the Lok Sabha campaign there was an ugly fight between his son and Thanga Tamilselvan. He said that the AMMK leader had insulted him and his family and cannot be brought back," says an AIADMK source. "Moreover, they are from the same community and it would be direct competition for OPS in Theni," he adds. OPS’s son P Raveendranath had ended up winning the Theni Lok Sabha constituency, while Thanga Tamilselvan contesting for the AMMK, ended up third. Congress’ EKS Elangovan, who contested as part of the DMK alliance, was the runner-up. 

According to reports, a majority of AIADMK functionaries from the Theni district unit of the AIADMK voiced their opposition to allowing the former Andipatti MLA, to rejoin the party.

From the DMK meanwhile, MLA Senthil Balaji who was earlier with the AMMK, was in talks with Thanga Tamilselvan.  "He will be an asset to the party because we need stronger leader in the Theni region," says a source in the DMK.

It is expected that his entry would strengthen the party's organisation in Theni district, which is seen as an AIADMK turf. Incidentally, in the recently concluded bye-elections, the DMK had ended up bagging the Andipatti seat and the Periyakulam Assembly seats that fall under the Theni Lok Sabha constituency.

The AMMK, meanwhile, appears unfazed regarding the defection of its senior leader and cadre.

"These are people who have made politics a business," says P Vetrivel of the AMMK. "If he goes to AIADMK it is understandable. But he has always been against the DMK his entire political career and this shows his mindset. Even now, the cadre in DMK will not accept him. His political career is over."

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