TTV axes 4 mantris from party posts

Unmindful of his ouster from the AIADMK by its office-bearers headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, embattled T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Wednesday continued taking punitive action against EPS-OPS faction members, including four ministers and several MLAs, stripping them of party posts and rewarding his own loyalists.

In an effort to keep his flock together, Dhinakaran rewarded six of the 19 MLAs who have pledged their support to him. These MLAs are currently staying at a luxurious resort in neighbouring Puducherry “to take rest for a few days.”

In separate statements issued through the day, Dhinakaran removed revenue minister R.B. Uthayakumar, food minister R. Kamaraj, transport minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar and commercial taxes minister K.C. Veeramani from the posts of “Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai” secretary and district secretaries of Tiruvarur, Karur and Vellore (West) respectively.

After removing Vijayabhaskar, Mr Dhinakaran brought in party strongman V. Senthil Balaji as the district secretary of Karur and appointed Thanjavur MLA, M. Rengasamy as the district secretary of Thanjavur (North) replacing R Vaithilingam who was

THE CONGRESS pitched for a floor test in the Assembly, a day after its ally DMK made a similar demand, claiming 22 AIADMK MLAs had submitted letters to Governor expressing lack of confidence in Chief Minister E.K. Palaniswami

removed from the party on Tuesday.

Political analysts said Mr Dhinakaran’s action were a desperate attempt to reassert his authority on the AIADMK though his appointment as deputy general secretary has been termed “illegal” by party senior leaders. They also questioned why Dhinakaran was not attending office at the party headquarters and cancelling all the public rallies that he had planned.

Former Madurai mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa was removed as Madurai (Rural) district secretary and former MLA E Mahendran was brought in his place.