Hosur , AIADMK Deputy General Secretary K P Munusamy on Wednesday refuted Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar's claim that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay sought an appointment to meet party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami and that the latter had declined.
At no point in time and under no circumstances did the chief minister or his official team seek an appointment with AIADMK general secretary, Munusamy told reporters here, responding to State Electricity Minister Nirmal Kumar's recent claim that the Chief Minister's office had requested an appointment to meet Palaniswami but the latter had turned down the request.
Munusamy's clarification comes in the backdrop of a split and patch-up that occurred in the AIADMK over the issue of supporting the Vijay-led TVK government last month. The rebel MLAs led by S P Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam, both former state ministers, voted in favour of the TVK during the floor test in the Assembly on May 13. This led to AIADMK seeking disciplinary action under the anti-defection law against those MLAs who voted in favour of the Vijay-led government, defying the party's official position.
It was suspected that some of the rebel MLAs could be included in the CM Vijay's cabinet. But that didn't happen when Vijay expanded his cabinet. Meanwhile, four of the rebel MLAs who were facing the risk of action under the anti-defection law resigned as legislators and joined TVK. Subsequently, most of the remaining rebel MLAs patched up with the General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, who in turn withdrew the petition seeking the speaker to take action against them.
{{/usCountry}}It was suspected that some of the rebel MLAs could be included in the CM Vijay's cabinet. But that didn't happen when Vijay expanded his cabinet. Meanwhile, four of the rebel MLAs who were facing the risk of action under the anti-defection law resigned as legislators and joined TVK. Subsequently, most of the remaining rebel MLAs patched up with the General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, who in turn withdrew the petition seeking the speaker to take action against them.
{{/usCountry}}Munusamy, who has been supporting Palaniswami on the issue, had earlier stated that the AIADMK would never support the TVK.
"Palaniswami has refused to meet the Chief Minister, and it was not that Vijay did not make an attempt to meet him," Nirmal Kumar told reporters in Chennai. After taking up the reins as Chief Minister, Vijay sought appointments to meet the leaders of major political parties in the state as a courtesy measure. He had explained and pointed out that Vijay met DMK president M K Stalin and MDMK chief Vaiko.
Vijay's meeting with rebel AIADMK leader Shanmugam, then, had irked the legislators supporting Palaniswami, which triggered the debates of horse trading.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.