Rebel AMMK leader Thangatamilselvan joins DMK

T.T.V. Dhinakaran's former close aide and sacked AMMK leader Thangatamilselvan has switched sides to the DMK in Tamil Nadu on Friday. Thangatamilselvan's move comes as a surprise as it was speculated that he was likely to jump to the ruling-AIADMK.

"M.K. Stalin has provided able leadership to the party and only he can give good governance to the; this has been proved with the kind of mandate which DMK got in recently concluded elections, therefore I've joined DMK," said Thangatamilselvan announcing his decision to the media. 

Tension was rife in AMMK after an audio clip in which Thangatamilselvan, who was the propaganda secretary of AMMK, purportedly criticised Dhinakaran in strong words, went viral. Thangatamilselvan, who represented Andipatti segment, had sided with Dhinakaran after Palaniswami merged the faction led by him with that of then rebel leader O. Panneerselvam in 2017.

The AMMK had then announced that Thangatamilselvan would be sacked. Following this, the rift was out in the open as Thangatamilselvan on Wednesday flayed Dhinakaran, saying he took decisions "unilaterally."

Speculation has been rife that the two were not on good terms following the party's drubbing in the April 18 Lok Sabha polls where it drew a blank and Thangatamilselvan, who himself lost from Theni constituency, was eyeing to quit the party.

Claiming that the new venture (the party) was not accepted by people, the former MLA said he was not in agreement with the founder over launch of AMMK since its inception. "I did not want to go for appeal in the AIADMK 'two leaves' symbol case.. they (Dhinakaran) went for it and lost. I wanted retrieval of AIADMK from them (OPS and Palaniswami), but they started a new party with a new symbol. People as well as AIADMK cadres did not support Dhinakaran," he had claimed.    

(With PTI inputs)