Palaniswami had announced that the AIADMK would hold protests at all district headquarters on Thursday against the Karnataka government’s attempt to construct a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu and the Tamil Nadu government’s failure to fully waive farmers’ crop loans.

As part of the protest plan, Palaniswami had assigned senior leaders to lead demonstrations outside their home districts. Velumani, who is from Coimbatore, was asked to lead the protest in Theni, while Viswanathan, who is from Dindigul, was assigned Ramanathapuram. Former minister KP Anbazhagan was asked to lead the protest in Ranipet and former minister Thangamani to lead the demonstration in Salem.

Palaniswami had also said senior leaders who were not upset with the party leadership would lead protests in other districts.

In their letter to Palaniswami, Velumani and Viswanathan said the decision to specifically announce the participation of senior leaders in protests outside their respective districts was deliberate. They reiterated their earlier demand that the dissenting leaders be restored to the positions they held before the change in party leadership.

They said Palaniswami had earlier assured them that the dissenting leaders would be restored to their previous posts, but the assurance had not been fulfilled. In these circumstances, they said they would not be able to participate in the protests announced by him.

The latest development comes days after Velumani, Viswanathan and other dissenting leaders wrote to Palaniswami questioning his leadership. Their decision to stay away from the protests announced by him indicates that the differences within the AIADMK leadership remain unresolved.