AIADMK Ousts Sengottaiyan Amid Standoff Over Expelled Leaders

In a decisive move, the All India Anna Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary, Edapaddi K Palaniswami, announced the immediate dismissal of MLA KA Sengottaiyan from all party roles, a decision disclosed on Saturday. Sengottaiyan held the significant positions of District Organisation Secretary and District Secretary for the Erode Suburban West District.

The AIADMK, in an official statement, confirmed the removal, relieving Sengottaiyan of his duties, effective immediately. Sengottaiyan, responding to this decision, expressed satisfaction with the party's choice to relieve him from his responsibilities.

The expulsion follows a critical meeting in Dindigul, where Palaniswami engaged in discussions exceeding an hour with seven senior party leaders and former ministers. The dialogue included figures such as Dindigul Srinivasan and Natham Viswanathan, raising speculation about internal party realignments.

Previously, Sengottaiyan called for the return of ousted leaders like V K Sasikala to the AIADMK, asserting their reinstatement is vital for victory in upcoming elections. He pointed out that after the Lok Sabha elections, senior leaders advocated for this change, although Palaniswami did not align with these suggestions.

Addressing the press, Sengottaiyan maintained that unity within AIADMK, potentially through an alliance with the BJP, could have turned electoral losses into wins, estimating a possible 30 seats in Parliament. Despite these advocacy efforts, the party leadership remained unmoved by the proposed strategy.

(With inputs from agencies.)