NEW DELHI: Cracks within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) came out in the open on Monday after some party MLAs, led by senior leader C Ve Shanmugam, submitted a letter to pro tem Speaker M V Karuppaiah seeking the appointment of former minister S P Velumani as the AIADMK legislature party leader. The move is being seen as a major assertion by the Velumani camp and has fuelled speculation of an internal power struggle aimed at sidelining party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami within the assembly.This comes after reports suggested that a few MLAs had demanded that Edappadi K Palaniswami step down following the party’s poor electoral performance.AIADMK contested 167 out of 234 constituencies and the party was able to secure only 47 seats.In the wake of the poll results, a series of MLA meetings chaired by party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami were held. Several senior AIADMK leaders and former ministers, including Shanmugam and Velumani, along with MLAs backing them, stayed away from the meetings convened by Palaniswami.“There is a clear split within the party. Many MLAs want a change in leadership. If Palaniswami continues as a leader, there is a possibility of some MLAs extending support to the TVK,” ANI quoted former AIADMK leader K C Palanisamy saying.The signs of discord within the party were visible earlier in the day during the oath-taking ceremony of MLAs in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly, where party legislators were seen seated in separate groups inside the House.
