AIADMK senior leader M Thambidurai says 10 MLAs can't split a party, 'all are united'

Coimbatore: Lok Sabha Deputy speaker and AIADMK (Amma) leader M Thambidurai on Saturday asserted that there was no split in the AIADMK as has been made out to be. “A group of 10 MLAs cannot split a party, which is intact. The by-election to RK Nagar Assembly constituency was postponed not due to a split, but following allegations of bribing of voters,” he told reporters in an apparent reference to the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam. The senior party leader had repeatedly been asserting that “all are united,” and there was “no split” in the party. [caption id=“attachment_1662569” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai. PTI[/caption] When asked about the alleged exit of MLA VC Arukutty from the OPS camp, he said it could be his own decision and there was no compulsion from anyone that he should leave the faction. Moreover, it was an indication that MLAs like Arukutty wanted to strengthen the party, founded by late chief minister MG Ramachandran, he said. Rebel AIADMK MLA VC Arukutty, among the first to switch over to the Panneerselvam camp, had on Friday expressed displeasure at the way he was being treated and indicated he may go back to the AIADMK (Amma) faction. To a query on Tamil actor Kamal Hassan’s possible entry into politics, Thambidurai said that any body including film actors can come to politics. On the actor’s allegations of corruption in the state government, he said, “It is a matter, which should be proved beyond doubt.”