Banners sporting Sasikala image removed from AIADMK office

Chennai: AIADMK cadres on Wednesday removed sidelined party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala's banners from the party office here in Tamil Nadu.

The removal comes hours after party Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran, a nephew of Sasikala, was arrested by Delhi Police on Tuesday night.

Earlier, E. Madhusudanan, an AIADMK leader and part of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam group, had demanded the removal of banners sporting the image of Sasikala in the party headquarters.

The Panneerselvam faction has demanded Sasikala, Dinakaran and their family members be ousted from the party.

A couple of days ago, Finance Minister D. Jayakumar had announced that the ruling faction has decided to keep out Dinakaran and his family out of party affairs.

Dinakaran had also announced that he would keep himself away from party affairs as desired by the ministers in the Chief Minister K. Palaniswami cabinet.

However, he said he would resign his party post only after discussing with Sasikala as it was she who had appointed him.

Sasikala's election as General Secretary is also being challenged by AIADMK party men before the Election Commission.

"If the Election Commission decides on the validity of electing Sasikala as the party General Secretary then all other issues facing the party would automatically settle down," an AIADMK leader on the condition of anonymity told IANS.