AMMK workers continue returning spree to AIADMK

With talks about civic polls gaining momentum, district secretaries in the DMK and AIADMK are working overtime wooing sulking workers from other parties. The AIADMK, which is eyeing the Nanguneri Assembly seat in Tirunelveli, saw about 100 workers from different parties joining it in the presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami at a brief function here on Friday.

According to sources in AIADMK headquarters, more than 1,200 workers, including former MLAs and district secretaries from the AMMK had returned to the AIADMK since Lok Sabha election results. Cadre from J Deepa’s Amma Peravai are also returning, sources added. “The AIADMK’s vote share in the recent bypolls and its capacity to win nine Assembly seats has led to the migration of AMMK workers to the parent organisation. The followers of MGR and Amma, who left to AMMK had started arriving and most of them know that the party’s Two Leaves symbol will help the party to survive in times of difficulty,” said Poonganagar Selvam of AIADMK MGR Mandram. The migration will gain momentum if the local body polls are announced and the aspiring councillors, if denied party tickets will move to the rival camp, Selvam opined.

The Opposition DMK had also been poaching workers from Karur, Tiruchy and Delta region, where the party won the recent bypolls and Lok Sabha by a huge margin. Former minister Senthil Balaji, who won the Aravakurichi bypoll, had also attracted large number of AIADMK cadre infusing them into the rival DMK camp. DMK MP Kanimozhi who is touring in Thoothukudi constituency also welcomed the cadres from other parties who joined the DMK in her presence on Friday.