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Red faces in AIADMK over vote on triple talaq bill exposes party fault lines
The actions of the first time MP, who is also the son of Deputy Chief Minister and party Convenor, O Panneerselvam (OPS), has raised the hackles of party veterans since the AIADMK has been vociferous in its opposition to the legislation.
AIADMK’s lone Lok Sabha MP, Ravindranath Kumar’s backing for the triple talaq bill against party’s known stance has led to unrest in the Dravidian party which is seeking to win the Vellore Lok Sabha seat - that has sizeable Muslim population—and votes on August 5. That’s not all, the actions of the first time MP-- also the son of Deputy Chief Minister and party Convenor O Panneerselvam (OPS) -- are feeding into the perception of a leadership tussle between the CM and his deputy.
The AIADMK has deputed a host of ministers and senior functionaries to win the prestige battle in Vellore slated for August5. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami too is to hit the campaign trail in the constituency on Saturday. The election for Vellore Lok Sabha seat was suspended after reports of large scale bribing and cash seizure emerged.
“It is not the party’s position on the legislation. It is not known whether he had got instructions from the party leadership before speaking in its support,” wondered A Anwar Raajaah, a former MP and party strongman from Ramanathapuram
Raajaaah says, he had on the instruction of the party, opposed the “triple talaq” legislation during the previous Lok Sabha. The deviance, now, will raise doubts that the AIADMK had changed its stand,” an agitated Raajaah said recalling late leader Jayalalithaa’s “steadfast opposition” to the triple talaq bill.
According to him, this was not an isolated instance of Ravindranath Kumar taking a stand contrary to the party line.
“Even with regard to the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, he had gone with the BJP despite the Chief Minister opposing it. It is creating confusion in the party,” Raajaah maintained.
Party spokesperson Jawahar Ali said that AIADMK needed to support its own policy and couldn’t back every BJP move despite good relations with the Centre.
Senior AIADMK Minister OS Manian suggested that a clarification was needed from the leadership, indicating that Kumar’s actions had created a serious problem for the party.
According to sources in the AIADMK, the Chief Minister dislikes Ravindranath Kumar’s deviation from the party line. Local media claims this to be another evidence of a tussle between EPS and OPS.
Ravindranath Kumar’s dream of joining the Union Council of Ministers was reportedly torpedoed by the EPS camp, which wanted the ministerial berth for a party senior. In the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections, EPS had his way by getting his loyalists into the upper house of Parliament.
