Upset AMMK cadre reach out to ‘friends’ in Dravidian majors

CHENNAI: Upset over the poor performance of the AMMK in the April 6 polls, the party functionaries have started reaching out to their friends in the AIADMK and a few have started greeting newly-elected DMK MLAs.

According to informed AMMK sources, the rank and file in the party are in a state of confusion over the next course of action. Some lower-level party workers, who were upset that the party failed to spend enough for the elections and the booth agents have started visiting the newly-elected MLAs of other parties.

“The party is in a state of disarray in Chennai region, which comprises Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. Chinnamma VK Sasikala is not meeting anyone and is in a state of political exile and party general secretary TTV Dhinakaran is yet to react or review the reasons for the party’s drubbing with district secretaries,” said an AMMK district secretary wishing not to be named.

Appointment of regional secretaries suppressing the district secretaries, failure to merge with the AIADMK, demise and desertion of AMMK heavyweights like P Vettrivel, Senthil Balaji and Thanga Tamilselvan had affected the party badly, said an AMMK legal wing functionary. Several AMMK candidates in Chennai and western Tamil Nadu secured below 2,000 votes and trailed behind NOTA.

“Chinnamma Sasikala and Anna Dravidar Kazhagam (ADK) leader Dhivakaran both stayed away from this election and this is a massive setback for AMMK led by TTV Dhinakaran. The need of the hour is to ensure that the AIADMK and AMMK unite at the earliest,” said advocate Agneeswaran, propaganda secretary, ADK.

In my view, Dhinakaran should stop aspiring to be a leader and start working along with the Chinnamma’s supporters and the AIADMK functionaries, Agneeswaran added.

When contacted, an AMMK spokesperson replied that the party leader Dhinakaran would soon respond.

Some lower-level party workers were upset that the party failed to spend enough for polls and the booth agents