DMK luring AMMK heavyweights

Information spilling out of Anna Arivalayam suggests that the DMK is trying to lure former AIADMK minister turned AMMK deputy general secretary Palaniappan from the party led by TTV Dhinakaran. If sources in the DMK camp are to be believed, a young DMK Minister who had joined the ruling party a few years ago has been making the moves to woo the AMMK heavyweight.

The same Minister was understood to have played a crucial role in luring former MLAs, Mariappan Kennedy and Jayanthi Padmanabhan, from the AMMK to the DMK less than a week ago. A DMK source unwilling to be quoted disclosed that the resourceful Minister was in touch with Palaniappan of late, trying to lure him to Arivalayam. The Minister is learnt to be facing pressure from the rival AIADMK camp, especially Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is also keen on roping in as many AMMK members as possible to negate the influence of VK Sasikala.

The DMK’s plans were learnt to have come to light when an AMMK functionary called on the sitting DMK Minister in the city recently for an obligation. The AMMK office-bearer spotted Kennedy at the Minister’s house ahead of this eventual defection to the DMK. Further inquiries made with DMK headquarters sources revealed that the Minister was negotiating with a reluctant Palaniappan.

Another DMK source said the arrival of Palaniappan could be a big boost to the DMK considering that the party has lacked a prominent leader in Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri region. However, the former school education minister has been finding Sasikala’s political enthusiasm since regime change too difficult to ignore. Offers from the DMK would also be tough to resist if he were to consider the rewards given to his former colleagues like Thangatamilselvan and Senthilbalaji.