Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami's Camp Questions Dinakaran's Appointments

A minister from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami's camp yesterday questioned AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran's eligibility to name some of his loyalists as party office-bearers.

The response from the Palaniswami faction came even as some of the party members who were named office-bearers by Dinakaran declined to accept the posts, signalling that they will stay put in the chief minister's camp.

Finance Minister D Jayakumar wondered how could Dinakaran said the issue of party general secretary V K Sasikala's appointment itself was pending both in court and the Election Commission.

When that primary matter was pending, the subsequent appointment of Dinakaran as deputy general secretary by Sasikala was also a "question mark."

Under such circumstances, Mr Jayakumar said, "These appointments (made by Dinakaran) will also be a question mark."

Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar, another Palaniswami follower, said the new appointments made by Dinakaran reflected "failure" in getting the cooperation and support of office-bearers who were already functioning efficiently.

"No one is concurring with these appointments," he remarked, adding, "It amounts to making a mockery of the process of making appointments to party posts and it will create confusion."

Speaking to reporters in Madurai, he affirmed that all those named in the new list were highly efficient.

However, he questioned the need for such appointments at the present juncture, saying it will not be accepted by the Election Commission, the people or party functionaries.

"Only after the Election Commission determines the pending party (symbol and general secretary appointment) issues, could the list of new functionaries be released," he said.

Stating that the appointments did not have any validity, K P Munusamy, from former chief minister O Panneerselvam's AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction, said Dinakaran "is an outsider" who was expelled from the party by former chief minister Jayalalithaa.

Meanwhile, A K Bose, MLA, who was named joint secretary of agriculture wing, declined to take up the post.

Flanked by Udhayakumar, he said he could not accept the new post in view of his health condition.

Two other legislators K Palani (Sriperumbudur) and Sathya Panneerselvam (Panruti) who were named joint secretaries of party forum 'Amma Peravai,' and women's wing, respectively, too declined to accept the posts.

Sathya Panneerselvam said she would continue to function under the leadership of Palaniswami and Palani said he was happy in his position of being a legislator.

Defending the appointments, Dinakaran loyalist and former Minister P Palaniappan, who was named organising secretary, said, "We spoke with legislators Palani and Sathya Panneerselvam and took their concurrence before they were named. Their stand now is regrettable."

Seeking to reassert his authority in the AIADMK, Dinakaran had named several of his loyalists as office-bearers of the party, the first exercise undertaken by him after a two-month hiatus.

He had also announced he would undertake a state-wide tour from August 14 to strengthen the party.