The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party, which faced a crushing defeat in the Tamil Nadu elections, has now started efforts to strengthen itself. Now with a plan to strengthen the party, important organizational changes have been made in it. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (Edappadi K Palaniswami, EPS) on Thursday softened his stance on several rebel senior leaders and former ministers (S.P. Velumani, Natham R. Vishwanathan and P. Thangamani) and officially re-inducted them into the party and also appointed them to important posts.
Last month, following the assembly elections and intense tussle within the party, several senior leaders were stripped of their organizational posts after being separated from the high command. Of the 25 AIADMK MLAs who initially supported the TVK government during the confidence motion in the Assembly last month, four MLAs later resigned from their posts and officially joined the ruling party.
However, Velumani and the rest of his faction met former Chief Minister and party chief Palaniswami and also submitted an official letter of support reiterating their loyalty to the AIADMK. With this reconciliation there was reconciliation between the two. Then Palaniswami welcomed these experienced leaders into the party and entrusted them with important senior responsibilities.
After the recent differences between the two factions of the AIADMK were resolved, the party leadership changed its disciplinary stance and officially informed the Assembly Speaker that it wishes to withdraw all proceedings of disqualification or disciplinary action against the rebel faction.
As part of the new appointments in the party, Palaniswami said in his statement that Velumani and Vishwanathan have been made the new deputy general secretaries of the party. Similarly, Thangamani has got the important responsibility of Organizing Secretary.
The attitude in the party regarding rebel leaders seems to be softening. While this change has ensured the return of prominent leaders of Kongu region, the party high command has maintained silence about the political future of another rebel leader and former minister C.V. Shanmugam.
