‘Slighted’ by Minister, former MLA to support Congress candidate

Ponnupandi says Rajenthra Bhalaji is ignoring experienced party functionaries

Former Communist Party of India MLA V. Ponnupandi, who joined AIADMK in 2016, has decided to support the Congress candidate for Srivilliputtur Assembly constituency, P.S.W. Madhava Rao, as he was neglected by the party’s Virudhunagar West district unit secretary K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji.

Mr. Ponnupandi, who represented Srivilliputtur Assembly constituency between 2011-2016, complained that not only him, but also several former MLAs of the AIADMK have been ignored by the district secretary.

He said that only because of the deliberate neglect by Mr. Bhalaji, who is also the Minister for Dairy Development, former MLAs K.K. Sivasamy, Balagangadaran and sitting MLA M.S.R. Rajavarman had left the party.

Similarly, the political experience of other former MLAs M. Chandra, Gopalasamy, M. Chandraprabha, T. Inbatamilan were not utilised for the party during the election. “Election is like a marriage in the family in which all the family members should be involved. If any one of the family members is ignored, it is not good for the family,” he said.

He charged that Mr. Rajenthra Bhalaji did not like people with experience so that they do not get prominence. “Complaints given to party high command has not evoked any response,” he said.

It was Mr. Rajenthra Bhalaji who had brought Mr. Ponnupandi to AIADMK in 2016.

Mr. Ponnupandi said that he would canvass votes among his supporters for the Congress candidate.

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