Dhinakaran loyalists to stay put at TN's waterfalls town

Disqualified AIADMK MLAs loyal to AMMK leader TTV Dhinkaran are staying at Courtallam, a tourist town in Tirunelveli district, triggering speculations it could be a repeat of 'resort politics' witnessed last year.

Amid reports that it was an attempt by Dhinakaran to keep his flock together, his close associate P Vetrivel asserted there was no problem and the 17 disqualified MLAs and three ruling party MLAs were likely to stay there for some more time.

"There is no problem at all...," Vetrivel, who is among the 18 disqualified MLAs, said here, adding he would also join his party colleagues.

The Madras High Court has reserved orders on their petitions challenging their disqualification by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal in September last year for alleged anti-party activities.

Vetrivel, north Chennai-based loyalist of Dhinakaran, said the sitting and disqualified legislators including Thanga Tamilselvan Tuesday took part in the Tamirabarani Pushkaram festival in Tirunelveli district.

To a question, Vetrivel said it was decided on Sunday during a party meet to take part in the Pushkaram event on Tuesday, its closing day.

Kallakurichi MLA A Prabhu and Aranthangi legislator E Rathinasabapathy are among the sitting three MLAs who were in Courtallam, Vetrivel told PTI.

In Feburary 2017, AIADMK MLAs backing V K Sasikala, aide of late J Jayalalithaa and now serving a prison term in an assets case, had stayed in a resort at Koovathur near here for days together along with party MLAs when Panneerselvam revolted against her.