Not aware of new party launch by Madhavan, claims Deepa

Speaking to reporters at the Jayalalithaa memorial, Madhavan said wife Deepa’s outfit, the MGR Amma Deepa Peravai (MAD Peravai), is just a ‘peravai’, and he would be launching a political party independently. When asked why he took this decision, Madhavan said there were ‘external forces’ were influencing Deepa, preventing her from running the outfit, which prompted him to take this step. However, he denied that there were any differences between him and Deepa, and dismissed questions about divorce. “I will function alone, not along with her,” he said. 

When contacted, Deepa, said that she had no knowledge of her husband Madhavan starting a new party. Stating that she was presently hospitalised for viral fever and that she had no knowledge of such happenings, Deepa said, “I will issue a statement on this issue soon,” adding that she was on talking terms with her husband. When asked who might be behind this move, she said, “I am getting reports that former minister in the MGR cabinet Tiruchy Soundararajan is behind this, but I am unable to confirm it. Some evening dailies also carried news of the split, which is really news to me.” 

Right from February 24 when she announced the name and flag of the peravai, there were rumblings in the fledgling unit on various issues. Vellore peravai convenor K Palani said “Cadres supported her mainly because of her resemblance to Jayalalithaa and because she had no charges against her.” Now if the split becomes official, then cadres might opt to support former chief minister O Panneerselvam, he added.