Differences in the AIADMK (Amma) faction came out in the open on Wednesday with party deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran staying off the Iftar hosted by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy in Chennai. The Iftar hosted by the AIADMK had emerged as a major social event in the annual cultural calendar of Tamil Nadu. Wednesday’s Iftar hosted by Palaniswamy stood out because of the conspicuous absence of TTV dinakaran, the deputy general secretary of the party and the 32 MlAs who have declared their support to him.
But all alliance leaders of the AIADMK were present at the Iftaar along with the who is who of Chennai’s Muslim community.
Palaniswamy, who addressed the Iftaar gathering, paid rich tributes to Prophet Mohammed Nabi as well AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa who passed away last December. But the Chief Minister made no mention in his speech about Dinakaran or the jailed general secretary of the AIADMK, VK Sasikala.
“This is nothing but a clear proof that all is not well in the AIADMK (Amma) faction, “ said a source close to Sasikala and Dinakaran on condition of anonymity. Interestingly, the Iftaar hosted by rebel AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam at Chennai on Wednesday drew more people than the one by Chief Minister Palaniswamy.
The difference between the Palaniswamy and Dinakaran factions went “official” on Tuesday when Dinakaran and lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai addressed the media after calling on Sasikala at Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bangalore. When asked about the AIADMK’s stance on the support to be extended to the Presidential candidate, Thambidurai said that it would be decided by the party. But Dinakaran said the decision would be taken only by Sasikala, who is the general secretary of the party.
The last two days of the Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly session saw the bizarre sight of a ruling party MlA and three members of alliance parties of the AIADMK walking out in protest against the stance of the Government on various issues. Thanka Tamil Selvan, a AIADMK leader close to TTV Dinakaran staged a walk out on Monday following the refusal of the Speaker to allow him to raise an issue during the debate on grants. On Tuesday, three MlAs of the alliance parties who had won the 2016 Assembly election by contesting on the ‘Two leaves’ symbol of the party walked out in protest against the indifference of the Tamil Nadu Government towards the animal slaughter notification issued by the Centre.
The 32 MlAs owing allegiance to Dinakaran had told Palaniswamy last week that the deputy general secretary of the party should be made to host the Iftaar. But Wednesday’s Iftaar was an indication that Palaniswamy is not willing to yield any space to sasikala’s nephew.