Race for posts hots up in Vellore AIADMK unit after CM’s return

Present Vellore west district secretary and Commercial Taxes Minister KC Veermani automatically takes over as Tirupattur district secretary when that district is formed as he hails from Jolarpet, 20km from Tirupattur. Vellore east secretary and Arakkonam MLA S Ravi will thus become Ranipet district secretary when that district is formed.

This has resulted in many local party men now wanting to occupy posts like district president, treasurer and the powerful secretary’s post in addition to posts up for grabs in various units like the MGR youth wing, agricultural, legal and medical wings.

However, it is the district secretary post which is likely to create heartburn among those in the fray as now support is based on caste lines. Sources say that top contenders are former district secretary and Minister VS Vijay, former district secretary and present Vellore east deputy secretary SRK Appu and former district secretary LKB Vasu. As Veeramani belongs to the Vannia community, the common feeling is that the post might go to a person from the Mudaliar community, who is majority in Vellore. Appu, Vijay and Vasu are from this community.

But, the party cadre are unwilling to accept the latter three as all had a short stint in the AMMK before coming back to the AIADMK. “With their return, they are now juniors in the party and many might find it hard to accept them for this reason,” says Kumaresan, party cadre from Thorapadi.

But NDA candidate AC Shanmugam, who lost mainly due to his community (Mudaliars) not voting for him is making party top brass think twice before appointing a person from that community, source revealed. Sources accept that the posts need to be filled up immediately if the party - which saw serious erosion due to Veeramani not bothering to build up the party or meet cadre – is to regain its original strength. And so all eyes are focused on Chennai.