Hosur, AIADMK deputy general secretary KP Munusamy on Wednesday refuted CTR Minister Nirmal Kumar’s claim that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay sought an appointment to meet party president Edappadi K Palaniswami and the latter refused.
Munusamy told reporters here, responding to state Power Minister Nirmal Kumar’s recent claim that the Prime Minister’s Office had requested an appointment to meet Palaniswami but the latter had rejected the request.
Munusamy’s clarification comes in the backdrop of the split and correction that occurred in the AIADMK on the issue of support to the Vijay-led TVK government last month. Rebel MLAs led by SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam, both former state ministers, voted for TVK during the floor test in the Assembly on May 13. This led to the AIADMK seeking disciplinary action under the anti-defection law against those MLAs who voted for the Vijay-led government, challenging the party’s official stand.
It was suspected that some rebel MLAs might be included in CM Vijay’s government. But this did not happen when Vijay expanded his government. Meanwhile, four rebel MLA members who were at risk of action under the anti-defection law resigned from their positions as legislators and joined TVK. Subsequently, most of the remaining rebel MLAs reconciled with general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, who in turn withdrew the petition asking the speaker to take action against them.
Munusamy, who was supporting Palaniswami on the issue, had earlier said that the AIADMK would never support TVK.
“Palaniswami refused to meet the Prime Minister. It was not that Vijay did not try to meet him,” Nirmal Kumar told reporters in Chennai. After taking over as Chief Minister, Vijay sought appointments to meet leaders of major political parties in the state as a courtesy. He clarified and pointed out that Vijay met DMK chief MK Stalin and MDMK chief Vaiko.
Vijay’s meeting with rebel AIADMK leader Shanmugam angered lawmakers supporting Palaniswami, sparking discussions on horse trading.
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