Chennai: With by-elections scheduled for Madurantakam and Dharapuram on October 6, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has assigned district-level functionaries from other regions to campaign for the party’s candidates.
However, party sources in Madurantakam say the district office-bearers named by the leadership for election work have still not arrived in the constituency. The absence has reportedly caused shock and concern among Palaniswami and senior party functionaries.
According to local AIADMK functionaries, the party has put in place a structured campaign team for Dharapuram, with responsibilities given to leaders from Tiruppur, Salem, Coimbatore, Erode and Karur. Though party treasurer Srinivasan has been named as the chief in-charge for Dharapuram, the campaign there is said to be under Palaniswami’s direct supervision.
For Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district, Deputy General Secretary Munusamy has been appointed as election in-charge, and functionaries from 33 organisational districts have been assigned. But, except for leaders from Munusamy’s home district of Krishnagiri, others—including even nearby district secretaries from Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram—are alleged to have stayed away.
Local leaders claim that repeated phone calls are met with assurances of “coming tomorrow” and delays, and that a few who arrived over the weekend did not step out due to lack of coordination. They also pointed out that the PMK is not supporting the AIADMK in the by-election, and said the continued indifference from party functionaries has left the leadership unsettled.
