Five members of the AIADMK have been removed from the party for allegedly having established contact with former General Secretary VK Sasikala. The decision to expel them was taken by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniawami and Deputy Opposition Leader O Panneerselvam. Those removed from the party are A Ramakrishnan who is Salem district deputy general secretary student wing, R Saravanan who is Sivaganga district deputy general secretary Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai, Thimarajapuram Rajagopal who is Tirunelveli district deputy general secretary MGR Mandram and Sundar Raj who is Tirunelveli district deputy general secretary of student wing.
A press release by the AIADMK issued on Wednesday, June 24, stated that these functionaries acted in a way that was contrary to the party’s principles, and acted in a manner that brought disrepute and disgrace to the party. The AIADMK had earlier this month passed a resolution calling for action against any member who speaks with Sasikala.
The five functionaries are the latest group of AIADMK members expelled for establishing contact with Sasikala. In the latest audio conversation with one of her supporters that was released by her office, Sasikala slammed the AIADMK for wasting a Rajya Sabha seat to the DMK. She was referring to the party’s decision to give KP Munusamy a ticket in the 2021 Assembly Elections despite making him a Rajya Sabha MP a year earlier. Following his victory in the polls, Munusamy vacated the Rajya Sabha seat.
On June 14, the AIADMK expelled 15 top party functionaries including former minister M Anandan, and former MP VK Chinnasamy for talking to Sasikala, who was close aide to former CM J Jayalalithaa. The AIADMK expelled the party functionaries after accusing Sasikala of attempting to capture the party back. Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar said that Sasikala’s attempt to divide and rule will not work in the party. Jayakumar’s remarks came in the backdrop of several audio tapes surfacing where Sasikala is heard speaking to the functionaries.
In one audio clip, Sasikala opposed the removal of these functionaries from the party for speaking to her over the phone, and told a loyalist that she would have retained O Panneerselvam as Chief Minister in 2017 had he not rebelled against her and staged a ‘dharma yudham’. In March, ahead of the Assembly polls, Sasikala had said that "she will stay away from politics," but would pray for Jayalalithaa's "golden rule".
கழக ஒருங்கிணைப்பாளர் திரு. ஓ. பன்னீர்செல்வம், கழக இணை ஒருங்கிணைப்பாளர் திரு. எடப்பாடி கே. பழனிசாமி ஆகியோரின் முக்கிய அறிவிப்பு. pic.twitter.com/3BKxNsSw17
— AIADMK (@AIADMKOfficial) June 24, 2021