Dissidents in AIADMK too feel the need to avoid further fragmentation
The recent consultations held by the AIADMK have reinforced, even among those who do not agree with its general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on each and every issue, the importance of the party keeping its flock together.
A couple of weeks ago, a group of key office-bearers met Mr. Palaniswami. Their main message was that the party should be strengthened, and for the purpose of achieving the main goal of defeating the DMK, there was no harm in “making any adjustment”. At the same time, there is a realisation, as articulated by a few senior functionaries, that there should be “no further fragmentation” under the garb of “correcting the course” of Mr. Palaniswami. A leader from the southern region emphasised that it was time that all like-minded forces, who were “once part of the AIADMK family”, were brought together.
In one of the consultative meetings, Mr. Palaniswami himself was said to have advised his party colleagues not to indulge in “blame game”, but focus on working in a cohesive manner.
Party’s performance
Commenting on the party’s poor performance in the southern districts in the recent Lok Sabha election, the functionaries argued that both in Ramanathapuram and in Theni, the votes polled by O. Panneerselvam and T.T.V. Dhinakaran were “all AIADMK votes”. Likewise, be it in parts of the western districts or in Chennai, there was a “substantial migration” of votes from the AIADMK to the BJP.
“However, all these matters cannot be discussed at the consultative meetings, where the participants are considerable in number. Only with a compact group will discussions on the issues be effective,” said an office-bearer, explaining why he did not raise any contentious issue.
Till now, Mr. Palaniswami has been opposed to any compromise with Mr. Panneerselvam, Mr. Dhinakaran, and former general secretary V.K. Sasikala, who is currently on a State-wide tour.
Meanwhile, the AMMK, as part of its State-wide programme against the government’s move to increase taxes and user charges for a number of services, held a demonstration near Valluvar Kottam in Chennai. Mr. Dhinakaran led the demonstration.
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