New Delhi: Fissures within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) came to light on Monday after some party MPs, led by senior leader C Ve Shanmugam, submitted a letter to interim Speaker MV Karuppaiah seeking the appointment of former minister SP Velumani as the AIADMK leader in the legislature. The move was seen as a major assertion by the Veerumani camp and sparked speculation of an internal power struggle aimed at ostracizing the party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami Within the conference.There were earlier reports that some MLAs were demanding Edappadi K. Palaniswami step down due to the party’s poor electoral performance.AIADMK contested 167 seats out of 234 constituencies, but the party secured only 47 seats.A series of meetings of MLAs chaired by party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami were held after the poll results were announced. Several senior AIADMK leaders and former ministers, including Shanmugam and Veerumani, as well as MLAs supporting them, did not attend the meeting convened by Palaniswami.ANI quoted former AIADMK leader KC Palanisamy as saying: “There are clear divisions in the party. Many MLAs want a change in leadership. Some MLAs may extend support to TVK if Palaniswami continues as leader.”Signs of discord within the party were evident earlier in the day at the swearing-in ceremony for MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, with party legislators split into separate seats in the House.
