EWS quota row: CVS backs Edappadi, hints at mending ties

CHENNAI: The widening fault line in the AIADMK took a breather in the Assembly on Friday as dissenter MLA CVe Shanmugam publicly rejected fellow party legislator Thalavai N Sundaram's call to introduce the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota in Tamil Nadu, which successive governments have kept on hold.

Shanmugam went on to fight for the party's stance and bat for chief Edappadi Palaniswami, with whom he has been waging battles. He said the AIADMK government under Palaniswami had resisted pressure to implement the quota and stood by Tamil Nadu's 69 per cent reservation policy. "We firmly stood by the 69 per cent reservation and refused to implement the 10 per cent EWS quota. We still oppose it. Thalavai Sundaram's demand is not the AIADMK's stance," Shanmugam said.

The exchange assumes significance as Shanmugam, who has been openly critical of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami in recent weeks, asserted that Sundaram's demand was a personal view, not the party's position. Shanmugam has repeatedly questioned Palaniswami's leadership and sought accountability for the party's electoral setbacks.

Participating in the debate on the Law department's grant demands, Sundaram urged the government to implement the Supreme Court's verdict on the EWS quota, saying it would benefit a large section of people in Kanniyakumari. "At least, the government should consider providing a five per cent EWS quota for economically weaker sections," he said.

Shanmugam said, "I hope this was his own opinion and demand. The AIADMK does not agree with this. The party strongly opposes the 10 per cent EWS quota."