AIADMK expels over 50 office-bearers

Those who faced the disciplinary action included 53 leaders from the AIADMK's Kancheepuram Central unit. Five members of the party's trade union wing, Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai (ATP), were also booted out.

They were being removed from all their posts as well as their primary membership, the leaders said.

Panneerselvam, AIADMK coordinator, and Palaniswami, the co-coordinator, announced the expulsion of the 58 people in separate statements, signed by both of them.

The two leaders said the action was being taken since the office-bearers went against party principles and "brought disrepute" to the AIADMK.

They also asked the party workers not to have any truck with them.

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, who merged the factions led by them in August 2017, had last month warned of action against those who go against the party, following its loss in the December 21 RK Nagar assembly bypoll, won by sidelined party leader TTV Dinakaran.

They had earlier too expelled a number of functionaries, while stripping the party posts of some of the key aides of Dinakaran.