AIADMK removes Nanjil Sampath from party post after TV interviews

Chennai: AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on January 2, 2016, sacked party deputy propaganda secretary, Nanjil Sampath, from his post.

A one-line statement issued by the AIADMK headquarters did not mention any reason but he has apparently crossed the line during a couple of interviews to television channels on January 2.

In particular, Sampath’s references to floods in Chennai and the victims and about normalcy having returned did not go
Sampath’s remarksd about the floods were considered ‘insensitive’, sources said.

Duirng his interview to Puthiya Thalaimurai channel, when questioned about the logic in convening a general council meeting so soon after the Chennai floods, Sampath said the people had recovered, and added that even if a death took place in a house, a wedding fixed in the same street would continue to be held.

Replying to another question on Thanthi TV channel, Sampath wanted to know if hether elephants would give up walking merely because ants would get trampled.

His comments on these issues and about other politicians drew comments from a wide section in the social media.

Sampath who joined the MDMK in 1994 and was considered close to Vaiko fell out with the latter  as a fiery orator in the political circles in Tamil Nadu, joined the AIADMK in December 2012. Jayalalithaa appointed him as the party’s deputy propaganda secretary.