As the internal rift continues within the AIADMK, party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami met the new district secretaries at his residence on Friday to discuss the future course of action, even as the rebel group led by SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam also organised a meeting to consider the possibility of moving the court to find a solution.
The AIADMK chief had removed from party posts, senior leaders including Velumani, Shanmugam and C Vijayabaskar in the wake of the rift and cross-voting in the TVK Government’s confidence vote on Wednesday, which the ruling party won comfortably.
At present, Palaniswami has the support of 22 MLAs, while the rebel faction led by Velumani and Shanmugam is backed by 25 AIADMK legislators. Both factions have sought disqualification against the other’s MLAs under the anti-defection law over voting during the TVK Government’s floor test.
Sources said that during his meeting with supporters, Palaniswami expressed concern that the Assembly Speaker had yet to announce their elected leader of the legislature party, his deputy and whip.
The former Chief Minister also asked the party cadres, especially the new district secretaries, to stay united to counter the Shanmugam faction.
Valumani’s group also said that since the faction has the majority of MLAs, the team is working out to legally “secure” the AIADMK.
Both AIADMK factions have already met the assembly speaker JCD Prabhakar to declare their respective choice of leader of the legislator party, his deputy and whip.
However, sources from the Secretariat said that the speaker was looking into their request and would decide soon.
Meanwhile, the party’s Lalgudi constituency MLA and a part of the Velumani group, Leema Rose Martin, said that there will be a united AIADMK. “Measures are being taken. Soon we will join”.
Former AIADMK minister and senior party leader KC Veeramani said that the party should immediately convene a general council meeting and find out a solution for the poll debacle.
He also stressed that Palaniswami is the party general secretary and “we all stand with him”.
