AIADMK has removed senior leader and former minister KA Sengottayan from all party positions with immediate effect.
The move comes a day after Sengottayan urged the party to reinstate expelled members to promote unity.
Following the removal of MLA K.A. Sengottaiyan from party posts, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has also expelled six office-bearers from the party’s Erode Rural West district.
All six leaders were known to be close associates and supporters of Sengottaiyan.
Tensions Rise in AIADMK
On Friday, Sengottaiyan openly challenged the party’s General Secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, urging that former leaders who had left the party be welcomed back without any conditions.
He warned that if his request was ignored, he and other like-minded leaders would take the initiative to start reconciliation efforts on their own within ten days.
I Set Aside My Personal Interests: Sengottaiyan
Speaking to reporters at the AIADMK’s western district office in Gobichettipalayam, Sengottaiyan emotionally recalled the sacrifices he had made to keep the party intact after the passing of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
“After Amma’s demise, I was given two opportunities to lead. I set aside my personal interests to ensure that the AIADMK did not disintegrate. It was VK Sasikala who recommended Edappadi Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate,” he said.
Those Who Left Should Be Brought Back
He emphasized that many party workers believe that those who left for various reasons should be brought back.
“This is not about individuals but about the survival of the movement. We must forget and forgive, as MGR taught us. Only by embracing those who left can we secure victory again,” he asserted.
Differences between Sengottaiyan and Palaniswami
Acknowledging the ongoing differences between himself and Palaniswami, he insisted that his stand was guided purely by the party’s interest.
“People expect us to rise above personal differences. The AIADMK’s strength lies in unity. Within ten days, efforts should be launched to bring back those who left, otherwise we will act independently,” he declared.
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