AIADMK leader Sengottaiyan tight-lipped as 1,500 supporters tender resignations

COIMBATORE: Senior AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan maintained a studied silence over his next move and simply thanked his loyalists for their unwavering support on Sunday, even as over 1,500 party cadre and functionaries from the Gobichettipalayam Assembly constituency reportedly tendered their resignations from the party in protest against the party stripping him of posts.

“Thousands of AIADMK cadre, affectionate towards MGR and Jayalalithaa from across Tamil Nadu and specifically from Erode are turning up at my house. I thank them for their support,” Sengottaiyan told media persons on Sunday.

He was stripped of his party posts by AIADMK general secretary ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami, issuing an ultimatum to take back those who left the party. The senior AIADMK leader’s ten-day ultimatum deadline has brought his simmering relations with EPS to a tipping point. He had also threatened to boycott the party chief’s campaign if things failed to materialise as per his demands.

Some of the AIADMK functionaries who gathered in his support hinted that Sengottaiyan may soon announce his next move on Tuesday. Besides party loyalists, over 100 members of AIADMK Cadres Rights Retrieval Committee (ACRRC) of O Panneerselvam gathered in support of his call for the reunion of factions.

Former AIADMK MP V Sathyabama handed over her letter of resignation from the post of Erode Mofussil West district women's wing secretary to Sengottaiyan, even as the party relieved her of the post.

“As former minister KA Sengottaiyan was relieved of his responsibilities for reflecting the thoughts of AIADMK cadre, all functionaries from Gobichettipalayam Assembly constituency had resigned their posts. Only if AIADMK wins in the upcoming assembly polls, the schemes brought by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa could be implemented again,” she said.