DMDK rebels head for DMK, Vijayakanth axes dissidents

Chennai: DMDK chief Vijayakanth on April 5 expelled 10 functionaries, including three MLAs, for questioning the party’s decision to align with the four-party PWF and not go with the DMK.

The DMDK action came in response to the 10 senior functionaries revolting against the decision to forge ties with the Makkal Nala Kootani (People’s Welfare Front) for the May 16, 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. They virtually gave an ultimatum to Vijayakanth to reverse his decision by April 6 noon.

The party’s whip in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, V.C. Chandrakumar, MLAs C.H. Sekar and S.R. Parthipan, and seven others, displayed “a letter to Vijayakant” dated March 24, 2016, purportedly opposing the alliance with the PWF.

The only way to oust the AIADMK from power is to align with the DMK, Chandrakumar said adding that most of the partymen wanted a tie-up with DMK.

Replying to a question, he denied that DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin was behind their move.

He was confident that the DMK would win the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and its president M. Karunanidhi will become Chief Minister irrespective of whether the DMDK aligned with it or not.

On whether Premalatha and her brother L. Sutheesh were responsible for the DMDK alliance with the PWF, Chandrakumar said the “decision was taken at home.”