Dinakaran calls off MLAs’ meetings, Edappadi Palanisamy to host party’s Iftaar event

TTV Dinakaran supported by 34 MLAs met legislators from Theni district on Friday and was scheduled to meet north Chennai MLAs on Saturday to discuss party issues and to shore up his support base. It was said that the increasing number of legislators supporting Dinakaran has unnerved Palanisamy’s camp, which felt that more MLAs would switch sides with time.

However, insiders revealed that general secretary VK Sasikala reportedly sent word to Dinakaran through VN Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi demanding that the infighting between family members should stop as it would be inimical to them. The note follows Dinakaran commenting that Sasikala’s husband M Natarajan was unaware of what was happening in the party earlier. 

Sasikala was reported to have said that Palanisamy could handle both the party and government. She also asked the family members to stop the infighting, which might give BJP a chance to gain foothold in the state. 

Meanwhile, Palanisamy is yet to answer pro-Dinakaran legislators’ request that Dinakaran be allowed to handle party affairs. They also wanted Dinakaran to preside over the Ramzan Iftaar to be hosted by the party on June 21. However, a press release from the party said that Chief Minister Palanisamy, also the headquarters secretary of the party, would host the annual Iftaar in Chennai on that day.

Party insiders explained that it was impossible to heed to the demand of pro-Dinakaran group as invitations had already been printed stating that the function would be presided over the Chief Minister.