AIADMK will "split" before polls, claims DMK leader

DMK propaganda secretary Thanga Tamil Selvan on Sunday claimed that the ruling AIADMK is likely to "split" ahead of the Assembly elections next year owing to a host of issues including differences within the party.

DMK propaganda secretary Thanga Tamil Selvan on Sunday claimed that the ruling AIADMK is likely to "split" ahead of the Assembly elections next year owing to a host of issues including differences within the party. A clear picture would emerge in the coming weeks and "as the election approaches, we will see splits," he claimed.

The AIADMK was beset with several problems, he alleged and said the "verbal duels within their four walls" now gave ample indications of what was going on in the party. Apparently, Selvan was referring to a meeting of the AIADMK days ago in Chennai where party coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswami did not reportedly see eye-to-eye on a number of party related issues.

Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar had, however, dismissed such claims saying the two leaders had an excellent understanding and they were like Lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana. "The altercations will soon spill over to the streets and the party will get split into several factions before the Assembly elections," the DMK leader claimed.

Speaking to reporters at Andipatti near here after attending a party meeting, Thanga Tamil Selvan, in reply to a question said the reported "differences" between the party leaders was just a beginning that would pave way for the split. "Already the AIADMK government has earned the ire of the people over National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The only way to save Tamil Nadu will be to make the DMK win in the elections and DMK chief M K Stalin alone could steer the state towards growth," he claimed. The Central government could not force Tamil Nadu to conduct the NEET when M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa ruled the state. But, in the absence of the two leaders, the BJP-led government at the Centre took the state "for granted and thrust" NEET. As a result, the medical college aspirants died by suicides due to fear of NEET, he claimed.

The Assembly elections are likely by April-May 2021 in Tamil Nadu. In 2017, the AIADMK factions led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam came together and Thanga Tamil Selvan was with the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam led by T T V Dhinakaran before joining the DMK last year. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)