Dinakaran sacks Palaniswami from his party post

Continuing his sacking spree of AIADMK leaders from their party posts to establish his supremacy within the party, 'ousted' Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran on Sunday dismissed Chief Minister K.Palaniswami as the party's Salem Suburban District Secretary.

In a statement issued here, Dinakaran said the sacking was done with the approval of party's jailed General Secretary V.K.Sasikala. Palaniswami has been replaced by S.K.Selvam in this post.

Earlier Dinakaran had stripped of several party officials like former Minister S.Gokula Indira, Chief Whip S.Rajendran and others and also expelled from the party Rajya Sabha Member R.Vaithialingam.

Prior to that Palaniswami and members of his faction had announced that appointment of Dinakaran as Deputy General Secretary was not valid.

Post the merger between two factions - one led by (now) Deputy Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam and the other by Chief Minister Palaniswami, the duo also announced that steps would be taken to sack Sasikala from the party post and also from the party.

--IANS

vj/vd