DMK drops disciplinary action against most

DMK today announced expulsion of former Minister V Mullaivendhan for anti-party activities but dropped disciplinary action against most of the 33 leaders, including former union minister S S Palanimanickam, suspended last month, accepting their explanations.
"The party is giving up proposed action against suspended members following explanation offered by them except one or two," DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan said in a statement here.
The suspended functionaries had submitted in their explanation to the showcause notices that the allegation they betrayed the party in the Lok Sabha elections was not true and that the charges were propped up by intra-party rivalry.

"S S Palanimanickam (former Thanjavur District Secretary) and Inbasekaran (former Dharmapuri North District incharge] are allowed to continue as members and will not have any role in the party administration," he said.
Mullaivendhan (Dharmapuri South) "is permanently expelled" as he issued a statement against the party high command when an
explanation was sought from him, Anbazhagan said.

He, however, did not specifically refer to the status of Rajya Sabha MP, K P Ramalingam, viewed as a confidante of expelled leader M K Alagiri, who was also issued show cause notice.
Anbazhagan said "except those who had made allegations against the party leadership," action was being dropped against other suspended members enabling them to continue the party work.

Ramalingam had strongly criticised the DMK high command and said "they have taken an autocratic decision. I have been serving the organisation for more than 25 years in a responsible position. I take this as an insult to me," he had said reacting to his suspension.
On June 21, DMK suspended 33 senior leaders, including Palanimanickam, and slapped show cause notices on them asking why they should not be expelled from the party.
The action was taken based on recommendations by an internal panel which had pointed out to lapses and acts of indiscipline by certain leaders that led to the ignominious defeat in the Lok Sabha polls (DMK drew a blank) besides feedback from unsuccessful candidates, poll managers and party workers.

The organisational shake up in DMK was seen as an attempt to make the party battle ready for the 2016 Assembly elections.