Ex-Coimbatore mayor quits AIADMK, supports Deepa

T Malaravan said the speech made by the party General Secretary VK Sasikala’s husband Natarajan at Thanjavur during the Pongal has upset senior leaders and party cadre who sweat and shed blood for the party. “Natarajan claims that his family made the party strong. Then where is the recognition for our efforts?” he questioned. 

“I am one among many AIADMK loyalists and functionaries who are unhappy over the way the party is functioning. The way the party high command is giving way for active family politics is against the interest of the party,” he told DTNext before adding that, “Amma (Jayalalithaa) did not single out anyone as her successor.” 

“The party was functioning well under the leadership of the founder MGR and Amma. O Panneerselvam is doing well but is unable to perform due to the General Secretary,” he said. He believes the new AIADMK leadership does not have the support of the cadre and the public. He felt that many more AIADMK loyalists would quit the party. He has extended support to Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa and is planning to meet her in Chennai shortly. “This is not family politics. Deepa is a political science graduate and people want her to come to power,” he concluded.