Chennai sources have stated that upping the ante in his fight against the ruling establishment, sidelined AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran removed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami from the post of party's Salem District Secretary. Meanwhile in a party release in Chennai, Mr. Dinkaran, fighting to assert his supremacy in the wake of recent merger of two AIADMK factions, announced Mr Palaniswami was relieved from his post of Salem Suburban District Secretary effective.
Accordingly Mr. Palaniswami is also the party's headquarters secretary but there is no mention about it in Mr. Dinakaran's release. Mr. Dinakaran has been sacking several party functionaries, especially district secretaries, a key post in the Dravidian parties' hierarchy, and replacing them with his supporters ever since the merger of AIADMK factions led by Mr. Palaniswami and former chief minister O Panneerselvam on August 21.
Moreover after the merger, it has been announced
that steps would be taken to expel jailed party general secretary and TTV
Dinakaran's aunt VK Sasikala from the party. With his latest action, Mr.
Dinakaran seeks to convey that he is determined to take on even the Chief
Minister for their opposition to Ms Sasikala.
