AIADMK Rebel C Ve Shanmugam Seeks General Body Meeting After Bypoll Rout
Former minister urges party leadership to consult senior leaders, identify reasons for the electoral setback and take corrective measures to revive the organisation.
CHENNAI, October 15: Former Tamil Nadu minister C Ve Shanmugam on Wednesday urged the AIADMK leadership to convene a general council meeting to review the party’s poor performance in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections and formulate a strategy to strengthen the organisation.
Shanmugam made the demand after meeting a group of party leaders, including former ministers, at his residence. He said the electoral setback was a matter of concern and called on the leadership to examine the reasons behind the defeat and initiate corrective measures.
Expressing disappointment over the results, Shanmugam said the AIADMK could regain its former position by bringing party members together and following the principles and legacy of its founder, M G Ramachandran, and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
“We have been saying from the beginning that the leadership should consult party leaders and hold a general council meeting to discuss the reasons for the defeat and take steps to improve the party,” he said.
Shanmugam stressed that party workers needed reassurance about the organisation’s future and its ability to recover from the electoral setback. He said collective efforts and consultations with senior leaders were essential to restoring confidence among the cadre.
Although he does not currently hold any formal position in the party, Shanmugam said he and other leaders were willing to contribute to efforts aimed at strengthening the AIADMK.
He emphasised that the leadership should take everyone along while planning the party’s revival, suggesting that wider consultations could help address organisational concerns and chart a path forward.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK has initiated legal action against minister C T R Nirmal Kumar over remarks allegedly made against the party and its general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami.
According to reports, the party issued a legal notice dated October 13, demanding a public apology and Rs 1 crore in damages over statements attributed to the minister during a media interaction at the state secretariat on October 9, following the by-election results.
The notice alleges that Nirmal Kumar described the AIADMK as a “letter-pad company” and accused Palaniswami of controlling the organisation to safeguard his personal assets and family interests.
The legal notice marks another development in the political exchanges between the ruling side and the opposition party following the by-election results.
While Shanmugam has called for an internal review and greater consultation to address the AIADMK’s electoral setback, the legal dispute has added to the political tensions surrounding the party’s response to the results.
The demand for a general council meeting is expected to keep attention focused on the AIADMK leadership’s next steps and its efforts to restore organisational unity and strengthen its political position in Tamil Nadu.
