Post-jubilation, cadre vent ire on OPS supporters

When the supporters of OPS retaliated, police dispersed the crowd and restored normalcy in the VIP area. Police chased both the groups away. No arrests have been made, sources said. 

Meanwhile, two shops were gutted in Melur in Madurai district when cadre celebrated the elevation of Edappadi K Palanisamy by bursting crackers. 

After Governor Vidyasagar Rao announced that Palanisamy would be appointed as the Chief Minister, many AIADMK cadre in rural parts burst into celebrations. The jubilation was high in areas like Melur, Vadipatti and Thoothukudi where supporters of V K Sasikala were more in numbers. They burst crackers and distributed sweets to the public. 

At Karungalakudi in Melur, sparks from the crackers flew and fell on a tea shop owned by one Noor Mohammed destroying the shop completely. The fire soon spread to a nearby shop nearby and more than 15 two-wheelers parked in front of it were reduced to ashes. Fire and Rescue department personnel reached the spot and doused the flames. Kottampatti police have registered a case. 

Amidst the jubilation, members of the Aathi Tamilar Katchi burnt the photo of the new Chief Minister Palanisamy in Madurai. They raised slogans against him and alleged that he had indulged in atrocities against Dalits in his native district of Salem. “An anti-Dalit cannot be made CM,” they objected. Police detained the protesters. 

In Tiruchy, the elevation news was received with an uneasy calm. A few cadre who came out to celebrate the announcement at the MGR statue near the court left within few minutes. However, the celebration was loud in Pudukkottai under the leadership of VR Karthick Thondaiman, district secretary of MGR youth wing and former MLA. Similar celebrations were held at Alangudi, Ponnamaravathi, Thirumayam, Aranthangi and Viralimalai areas on Thursday evening. But, the jubilation was low-key at Mannargudi, the home town of AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala. 

In Karur, supporters of former Minister V Senthil Balaji, who expected a berth for him in the Cabinet, were seen dejected. However, another group, led by party town secretary Nedunchezhiyan, was seen celebrating the day.

Though the new Chief Minister and a host of ministers were from the western region, the celebrations among cadre was muted in the Kongu belt. Very few party men were seen bursting crackers and distributing sweet to the public. 

However, the Erode cadre rejoiced the induction of K A Sengottaiyan in Edappadi’s Cabinet. He was dropped earlier by late Jayalalithaa. Here too the celebrations were more pronounced in rural pockets of Tirupur, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri than urban areas.