Subramaniya Raja, AIADMK functionary from Tirunelveli, had put up a poster welcoming Sasikala after her formal release from prison.
An office bearer of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu was terminated from the party on Wednesday for erecting a banner of VK Sasikala, the aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Subramaniya Raja, District Deputy General Secretary, MGR Makkal Mandram, Tirunelveli was the party functionary who was terminated. He had put up a banner dedicated to Sasikala, to welcome her following her release from jail. Sasikala, who was formally released from the Parappana Agrahara jail after serving her four-year imprisonment on Wednesday, had been removed from the AIADMK in September 2017. She is, however, yet to return to Chennai as she is receiving treatment for COVID-19 at a hospital in Bengaluru.
The banner features Sasikala along with all prominent faces including former CMs Jayalalithaa, MGR and CN Annadurai besides CM Edappadi K Palaniswamy and deputy CM O Panneerselvam, along with a picture of the terminated functionary in the right hand corner.
The text on the banner, written in Tamil reads, “Welcome to the General Secretary of the party who will lead AIADMK forward.”
Following the incident, the party high command released a circular on Subramaniya Raja’s termination. “The party expels Subramaniya Raja since he has acted against the principles of the party and has brought disrepute by violating guidelines set by the party on conduct of its members. He is expelled from the primary membership of the party,” the circular read. It also requested party members to have no truck with Raja.
Speaking to TNM, party spokesperson Satya Rajan, “AIADMK is a party known for its party discipline. This decision stands as a testimony not to take high command direction very lightly.”
The AIADMK had expelled Sasikala in September 2017 as it was one of the conditions for the merger of the faction led by O Paneerselvam. Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, whom she had entrusted the government with following her conviction, has recently reiterated that there will be no change in the party’s position with regard to her entry into the party following her release.
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Source: The News Minute