General council meeting lack spirit, infuse confidence among AIADMK cadres
According to insiders, general and executive councils' meetings were held for the sake of it and it lacked spirit. It left no impression among the party functionaries travelling from far and wide of the state
Edappadi K Palaniswami and other senior leaders at the party's Executive Committee and General Council meeting (Photo: Hemanathan.M)
CHENNAI: Without much fanfare and vibe among the functionaries, the AIADMK general secretary meeting was held at Vanagaram on Tuesday. It failed to impress upon a section of the members of the general and executive councils, who attended the meeting.
According to insiders, general and executive councils' meetings were held for the sake of it and it lacked spirit. It left no impression among the party functionaries travelling from far and wide of the state. Special invites, including former MP, MLAs and senior functionaries, were not invited. Realising the shortcomings, party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, at the end of his speech, assured steps would be taken to invite special invites in the next meeting.
"Though the meeting, unlike the one held during the troubled times in 2021, proved that EPS emerged as a leader. But the way and manner of the party activities is not satisfying, " said a functionary from Madurai.
Endorsing the remark of fellow party men, a functionary in Chennai said that the party and its leadership had failed to make use of the flood situation during Cyclone Michaung to win the trust of the people. The party leader (EPS) and other leaders were not proactive enough to act promptly to help the people in need.
Another functionary said the general council lacked "spirit" and turned into a routine exercise to tick the boxes of the Election Commission of India. "The second and third run leaders, who are directly connected to the grass root level cadres and party sympathisers have disappointed a lot, " said a senior functionary, preferrying anonymity.
"During the days of Amma (Jayalalithaa), the general council would be a celebration for the cardres, where Amma would go emotional addressing the partcipants and at the same time, the party whenever was ion opposition would question both the state and the centre, but things have changed now," said Poonga Nagar Selvam, a die hard fan of MGR and the north Chennai MGR Mandram functionary.