M.R. Vijayabhaskar’s resignation displays fragile nature of truce between AIADMK rebels and party chief Palaniswami

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Edappadi K. Palaniswami. File | Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

The resignation of the AIADMK’s MLA from Karur, M.R. Vijayabhaskar, illustrates the fragile nature of the rebels’ truce with party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

Mr. Vijayabhaskar, who held the portfolio of Transport during 2016-21, when Jayalalithaa, O. Panneerselvam, and Mr. Palaniswami were Chief Ministers, was among the 25 dissidents who sided with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government during the motion on vote of confidence moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in the Assembly on May 13, defying their party’s whip.

However, two weeks later, he and 20 others returned to the fold of the faction led by Mr. Palaniswami, who had got the disqualification proceedings dropped against them by writing to Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar.

Since then, there has been, by and large, an eerie silence on the part of the dissidents.

Two weeks ago, only former Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam, the prominent face of the party in the Villupuram district, accused the AIADMK general secretary of “refusing to correct errors and suppressing dissent” within the party.

Unlike Mr. Shanmugam, Mr. Vijayabhaskar did not launch a tirade against Mr. Palaniswami, but it was quite obvious that he did not feel comfortable with what had been offered to him organisationally. On Thursday last, when Mr. Palaniswami announced new party positions for many leaders, including a number of rebels, Mr. Vijayabhaskar was appointed one of the joint propaganda secretaries. Most of the rebels held the post of district secretary, considered the most powerful position in the party in their respective areas.

Contrary to the custom in the party on getting fresh assignments, the former Transport Minister did not meet the general secretary and thank him for the posting.

A few other senior leaders and former Ministers, Natham R. Viswanathan and S.P. Velumani too, who were made deputy general secretaries, have yet to meet Mr. Palaniswami.

Mr.