The two factions of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) settled their differences on Wednesday and withdrew disqualification petitions against each other with Assembly president J C D Prabhakar.
Political discord in the party came to light, after 25 legislators of the AIADMK led by C Ve Shanmugam and the SP Velumani faction voted for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government during the floor test on May 13, while 22 MLAs led by Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) opposed it. Four MLAs out of 25 resigned to join TVK.
The MLAs led by Velumani called on the EPS at his residence in Chennai and expressed their support for him.
Velumani flanked by senior party leaders C Vijayabhaskar and Agri SS Krishnamurthy went from the EPS camp to the assembly secretariat and called on Prabhakar to withdraw the petitions they had filed earlier to disqualify members of the two factions.
“After the elections, we expressed certain views and took some decisions which were considered supportive of the ruling party. They (Palaniswami faction) had filed a petition for disqualification of our 25 members. Likewise, we had also filed a petition for their disqualification. Now, both sides have withdrawn the petitions,” Velumani said.
Read also: AIADMK cries ‘horse trade’ after 4th Tamil Nadu MLA resigns within 24 hours, seeking to join TVK
Admitting that there were only “differences of opinion” among the legislators, Velumani said: “Edappadi K Palaniswami remains the general secretary of our party. Victory and defeat are normal in politics and within the party. There is no difference of opinion on that.”
He said they proposed that the PSP hold a meeting of the party’s general council and also form a committee which the Secretary-General said he would consider one by one.
“We have made our position clear and the ruling side has also made its position clear. We are all united. There are no opposing views. Everyone in the party remains united,” he said.
Regarding the AIADMK’s request to withdraw their petitions, Prabhakar said he will make a formal announcement about his decision based on the representations made by the AIADMK on Wednesday.
During the April 23 Assembly elections, the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu won 53 seats, while the Dravidian party alone secured victory in 47 Assembly segments.
