Crackdown continues, AIADMK removes 9 Dhinakaran supporters from party

Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK today removed nine supporters of the rebel faction leader TTV Dhinakaran, the latest in the crackdown on the supporters of the newly-appointed Member of Legislative Assembly from RK Nagar.

In a jolt to the ruling camp led by chief minister E Palaniswamy and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, Dhinakaran secured a victory in the December 21 RK Nagar bypoll defeating its candidate E Madhusudhanan by a margin of over 40,000 votes.

On December 29, the ruling AIADMK sacked more than 130 functionaries for bringing "disrepute" to the party.

On December 28, 44 persons were expelled from the party for going against the party's principles and bringing “disrepute” to the AIADMK, Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam said in a statement. 

On December 25, the ruling AIADMK sacked four of Dhinakaran's aides and expelled five others.

The RK Nagar bypoll was necessitated due to the death of sitting MLA, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Dhinakaran, sidelined by the ruling camp a few months ago, contested the bypoll as an independent candidate. The bypoll was seen as a a litmus test for the 20-month-old AIADMK government and Dhinakaran's victory came as a big blow.