AIADMK Leader Directs Party Cadre to Prepare for Bye-Elections and Discusses Performance

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday directed the district secretaries to fill up the vacant posts across the state at the earliest and report it to the party headquarters. He also told the district secretaries that there was no need to lose heart over the AIADMK’s defeat in the bye-elections and urged them to gear up to face the impending bye-elections to the five Assembly constituencies since the ruling TVK and the DMK have already started preparations. AIADMK sources said that after the district secretaries’ meeting at the party headquarters, Palaniswami held another round of discussions with the district secretaries of the bypoll-bound districts at his residence. A senior functionary said Palaniswami spoke at length about the bye-elections to Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies and that the AIADMK was able to secure its vote bank in both constituencies. Asked whether local body elections were discussed, another senior leader said Palaniswami had pointed out that the ruling party was delaying the polls because its popularity had declined since the Assembly polls amid concerns over law and order, rising prices and other issues. The government was, therefore, buying time to hold the elections, he said. Sources said the AIADMK leadership is pondering over giving suitable party posts to the women candidates — Kanitha Sampath and K Bhanumathi — who contested the bye-elections from Madurantakam and Dharapuram.