Chennai: Unmindful of his ouster from the AIADMK by its office-bearers headed by chief minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami, embattled T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Wednesday continued taking punitive action against EPS-OPS faction members, including four ministers and several MLAs, stripping them of party posts and rewarding his own loyalists.
In an effort to keep his flock together, Mr Dhinakaran rewarded six of the 19 MLAs who pledged their support to him. These MLAs are currently staying at a luxurious resort in neighbouring Puducherry “to take rest for a few days.”
In separate statements issued through the day, Mr Dhinakaran removed revenue minister R.B.Uthayakumar, food minister R.Kamaraj, transport minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar and commercial taxes minister K.C.Veeramani from the posts of “Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai” secretary and district secretaries of Tiruvarur, Karur and Vellore (West) respectively.
After removing Mr Vijayabhaskar, Mr Dhinakaran brought in party strongman V.Senthil Balaji as the district secretary of Karur and appointed Thanjavur MLA, M.Rengasamy as the district secretary of Thanjavur (North) replacing R.Vaithilingam who was removed from the party on Tuesday.
Political analysts said Mr Dhinakaran’s actions were a desperate attempt to reassert his authority on the AIADMK though his appointment as deputy general secretary has been termed “illegal” by the party’s senior leaders.
They also questioned why Mr Dhinakaran was not attending office at the party headquarters and cancelling all the public rallies that he had planned.
Former Madurai mayor and party strongman VV.Rajan Chellappa was removed as Madurai (rural) district secretary and former MLA E.Mahendran was brought in his place. Siruniam P.Balaraman has been removed as Tiruvallur (West) district secretary, Mr Dhinakaran announced while appointing Poonamallee T.A. Ezhumalai in the post.
Mr Dhinakaran’s sacking spree came two days after EPS and OPS camps of the AIADMK came together and announced that they would formally move a resolution in the General Council to remove V.K.Sasikala from the general secretary post. On August 10, Mr Dhinakaran’s appointment as deputy general secretary by his aunt Sasikala was declared “illegal” by party office-bearers. However, Mr Dhinakaran has been issuing statements and removing party leaders from posts in his capacity as deputy general secretary.
