AIADMK district units divided over resolution against Sasikala

Last month party joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami passed a resolution among his native Salem district level functionaries condemning Sasikala for creating confusion among AIADMK workers, the resolution also termed Sasikala as an outsider and evil force. But several party district and town units in Pudhukottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Theni, Virudhunagar, Madurai are yet to adopt resolutions against Sasikala. 

“Party functionaries are divided over these resolutions. Former AIADMK ministers like O S Manian, Sellur K Raju, C Vijayabhaskar, Rajendra Balaji, R Vaithilingam and supporters of AIADMK coordinator O Paneerselvam in Theni are uncertain and wish not to get dragged too much into the issue,” revealed a party senior. The general practice is that these resolutions passed at the district meetings are sent to the party headquarters for administrative reasons and to abide by the party bylaws. A district secretary in the delta had also told his supporters that ‘Chinnamma Sasikala’ is already evicted from our party, then why do we have to periodically pass resolutions against her. We should ignore her and continue our party work, the informed senior said. 

“Some of the district secretaries in delta and south Tamil Nadu region want to ignore Sasikala but not antagonise her reducing the scope of political opportunities. They are clear with their political stand, why unnecessarily antagonise Sasikala to please EPS. Unlike EPS, OPS is again not compelling people to adopt a resolution against Sasikala,” said a former AIADMK MLA. 

When contacted an AIADMK spokesperson on the issue of AIADMK district units divided over Sasikala, the party spokesperson said that these are minor internal issues. Party resolutions are decided by the local party men considering the local issue and it is just a symbol of tokenism, some think Sasikala is an issue and adopt the resolution, some ignore her as she is not even a member of the party, the spokesperson said wishing not to be named.