Dhinakaran to embark on state-wide tour from August 14

Days after announcing he would return to active party work after a two month hiatus, ruling AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran today said he would undertake a state-wide tour from August 14 to strengthen the party.
He expressed confidence that Tamil Nadu ministers and senior party leaders would take part in the tour with him.
Dhinakaran's assertion assumes significance as Chief Minister K Palaniswami-led camp, which has kept the deputy general secretary away from the party and its government, has maintained that it would have no truck with him.
Days ago, Dhinakaran had said that he would resume party work from August 4 and go on a state-wide tour to facilitate efforts for merger of the AIADMK factions.

In a release here, Dhinakaran announced district wise meetings in commemoration of party founder leader M G Ramachandran's centenary.
The first meeting will be held on August 14 at Melur in Madurai District and the first phase of meetings will end on October 5 at Sivaganga.

In the first phase, public meetings will be held in nine locations covering 13 party districts including Madurai city, Madurai Rural, North Chennai, Theni, Karur, and Sivaganga.
Asserting that "we have the big responsibility," of conducting the centenary celebrations, he said "Chinnamma (party general secretary V K Sasikala) is passing her time in the memory of Amma, late Jayalalithaa."

The Tamil Nadu government has already begun state-wide MGR centenary celebrations.
Though the sidelined leader has articulate supporters including MLAs P Vetrivel and Thanga Tamilselvan, it is not known if leaders from other camps will take part in the string of meetings announced by Dhinakaran.