The AIADMK on Monday maintained silence on the sanction given by Governor R.N. Ravi to prosecute two of its seniors, C. Vijayabaskar and B.V. Ramanaa, in the gutkha case.
Asked whether the sanction was given because the AIADMK, in late September, decided to part ways with the BJP, an official spokesperson, also a former Minister, said he would not like to respond.
Earlier in the day, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami called a meeting of district secretaries and point men at the party headquarters for Tuesday (November 21).
The meeting, which is part of the party’s preparations for the Lok Sabha election, will review the progress in the formation of booth-level committees by different wings.
Ex-MLA readmitted
On Sunday (November 19), the party re-admitted the former MLA of Usilampatti, I. Mahendran, who was with the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). He rejoined the organisation in the presence of Mr. Palaniswami and former Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar. Mr. Mahendran, who was elected to the Assembly in 2006, finished third in 2021 by polling about 55,500 votes, with a vote share of 26%.
In the 2019 by-election to Tiruparankundram, he secured almost 31,200 votes, but the AIADMK lost by about 2,400 votes to the DMK. Mr. Mahendran was hitherto the AMMK’s headquarters secretary and Madurai (suburban-south) secretary.
