Third dissident AIADMK MLA calls on Palaniswami

Dhinakaran’s AMMK was routed in the April 18 Lok Sabha polls following which several party functionaries, including two dissident AIADMK MLAs have returned to the ruling party’s fold.

Kallakurichi MLA Prabhu and two others, Aranthangi MLA E Rathinasabapathy and Vriddhachalam MLA VT Kalaiselvan, were served notices by the Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal in April for alleged anti-party activities. However, the MLAs moved the Supreme Court, which granted an interim injunction against the notices issued by the Speaker.

Earlier, Rathinasabapathy and Kalaiselvan had met the Chief Minister, indicating their return to his camp. On Saturday, Prabhu called on Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The two other MLAs had earlier said that Prabhu would also soon return to the ruling party soon. Though the AIADMK won only one of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry being part of NDA alliance, the ruling party however won nine of the 22 assembly seats where bypolls were held, ensuring it had the majority to continue in power.