DMK reluctant to take in MDMK detractors

If sources in both parties are to be believed, the DMK high command appears to have been approached by around a dozen MDMK functionaries for returning to the parent party of late. The disgruntled functionaries were understood to have shown more interest in the DMK after the recent elevation of Durai Vaiyapuri as the MDMK headquarters secretary. However, the DMK high command seems to be reluctant to accommodate them.

A top-level MDMK leader admitted, “True. Many senior functionaries in the party are unhappy. They stood by Vaiko and his ideological commitment for 28 years. They spent 19 months in jail with Vaiko during POTA incarceration. Now, they are upset that the leadership is doing what it had vehemently opposed nearly three decades ago.”

Naming at least half a dozen district secretaries, who are at loggerheads, another highly placed MDMK functionary told DT Next, “I learnt that the leadership attempted to reach out to them, but the unhappy functionaries were repulsive. I am not sure if they are dissatisfied enough to leave the party instead of ironing out the differences.”

Meanwhile, DMK sources revealed that the MDMK functionaries have approached Kannappan, who had joined the DMK years ago to accommodate them. “We faced a similar problem when a former Congress leader tried to join the DMK. Our leadership did not want to burn bridges with Congress to accommodate one functionary. The Congress functionary joined our rivals. Now, we are facing the same problem with the MDMK. Our leader (Stalin) does not want to annoy our allies,” a senior DMK leader said.

MDMK spokesperson N Nanmaran said, “The elevation happened only in the district secretaries meeting. He (Durai Vaiyapuri) was elected with everyone’s consent. The party is intact.”