The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday announced that it has permanently dismissed its Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ku Ka Selvam. In a disciplinary notice made public, MK Stalin, the party chief, wrote that, “the senior party functionary and executive committee member who was suspended from his duties continues to violate party regulations and has been bringing dishonour to the party. His response to the explanation sought by the party has not been satisfactory. Therefore, he is being dismissed from being a party member and all other party responsibilities.”
Earlier this month, the DMK had suspended the Thousand Lights legislator for breaching party protocols and issued a show cause notice to him, to explain his actions and asked why he should not be removed from the party. The ball dropped soon after Ku Ka Selvam's visit to New Delhi where he called upon BJP president JP Nadda along with former colleague VP Duraiswamy, who recently left the DMK to join the BJP, and Tamil Nadu BJP President L Murugan. Rumours were rife that Ku Ka was planning on jumping ship to the BJP.
His claim that he had gone to meet Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to ask for two elevators to be installed in the Nungambakkam station only made speculations stronger. From attending a Ram Janmabhoomi puja in the BJP's Chennai headquarters to expressing his indifference to being suspended by the DMK, the politician continued ruffling the feathers with those inside the opposition party in Tamil Nadu.
DMK’s decision to suspend Ku Ka, who has been with the Dravidian party over two decades, only further disgruntled the latter.
In an interview with TNM earlier this week, Selvam explained that his disgruntlement began in 2014 when the DMK’s Chennai West district secretary post was given to J Anbazhagan. Time and again, Selvam has alleged that he was being neglected by the party.
“The DMK needs to do more for loyal members who have been with the party for decades. There have been changes in several districts without a democratic process being followed. Udayanidhi (Stalin’s son) only keeps promoting members of the Youth wing and the rest of us above the age of 55 have become dummies. We may as well go home," he had said.