As youth mission for dist-level booth panel hits roadblock, EPS calls for meet with functionaries on June 24

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will meet district secretaries and in-charges on June 24 and 25 in Chennai to discuss the constitution of booth-level committees (BLCs) in their respective district units.

Emphasising the importance of a vibrant booth-level presence of the party, Palaniswami had underlined in earlier meetings that strengthening BLCs is key to the party’s goal of returning to power. So, he directed the district secretaries and the district in-charge to expedite the process of forming BLCs. They have been asked to submit a detailed status report on their constitution ahead of the two-day meeting. “District secretaries and those handling the BLC role should attend the meeting without fail,” Palaniswami said in a statement.

Several district units, however, are lagging in meeting the criteria prescribed by Palaniswami. Going by the party’s chief mandate, all the members of the nine-member BLC must be under 45 years, reside within the same polling booth jurisdiction, and at least three must be women cadre. He has ordered the inclusion of representatives from the minority communities, too.

“We have been asked to submit not just the details but photo of each member of the committee along with their identification proof and party membership card,” said a district in-charge, adding that most of the district secretaries are finding it challenging to identify suitable members who meet all the requirements set by the party chief.

Echoing the same, a district in-charge and former minister said that they would raise the issue in the forthcoming meeting and ask the party chief to relax the guidelines to finish the task at the earliest. “Finding committed young cadre, particularly women, is a difficult task and is delaying the entire process. As the IT wing is validating the data, many are finding excuses to submit the report till date,” he said.