Scuffle breaks out at AIADMK meeting chaired by KA Sengottaiyan

CHENNAI: The internal dissent in the opposition AIADMK seems to be growing day by day in the western districts, considered to be the bastion of the Dravidian party. On Wednesday, a scuffle broke out at the party meeting chaired by senior AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan, when an individual, claiming to be a party functionary from Anthiyur, raised the question why he was not invited to the meeting.

Sengottaiyan invited the man, S Praveen Kumar, to come on stage and share his grievances. He immediately went on stage and broke into an argument with the AIADMK leader over the issue. Tension erupted when other cadres tried to restrain him, resulting in a minor scuffle. They also attacked each other with chairs, forcing Praveen to leave the meeting venue.

Sengottaiyan, a party strongman, blamed ex-MLA from Anthiyur EMR Raja of orchestrating the event by sending someone who is not even a member of the party. He also alleged Raja was responsible for the party’s defeat in the 2021 Assembly polls in Anthiyur constituency.

According to party sources, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has started appointing office-bearers in party wings in the western districts, and this had not augured well with Sengottaiyan’s supporters.

“The absence of EPS from a recent wedding reception of party men hosted by senior leader SP Velumani has also send the rumour mills buzzing that the party general secretary missed the event to avoid certain saffron leaders,” said a former AIADMK MLA.

“EPS has started appointing party poll observers to address any issues within the party. He has instructed district secretaries not to comment on alliance formation and has sought the details related to enrolment of new cadres and youngsters into the party, the functionary said.