DMK youth wing functionaries have claimed that when opposition leader Udhayanidhi was arrested in Chennai on August 3, several people from his close circle did not remain by his side during the episode.
According to the functionaries, since his appointment as DMK Youth Wing secretary in 2019, Udhayanidhi has been difficult for party office-bearers to access, as he spends most of his time with a large group of friends. They said this pattern continued even after he became Deputy Chief Minister.
They further alleged that members of this friend circle often did not show respect to party workers and that even senior leaders who came to meet Udhayanidhi were, at times, treated dismissively. The functionaries also claimed that, influenced by his friends, Udhayanidhi sidelined several senior leaders.
In the reported arrest episode, Udhayanidhi was taken from Chennai to Thanjavur and returned to Chennai only around midnight. The functionaries said none of those who usually surrounded him were present then, while the very seniors he had allegedly kept at a distance stayed with him throughout the day.
They added that the incident has left Udhayanidhi deeply dissatisfied, as it underscored who stood with him in a difficult moment.
