AIADMK veteran Panruti S Ramachandran expelled from party by Palaniswami

Ramachandran had been vocal in his criticism of Palaniswami’s leadership

Panruti S Ramachandran, a close confidante of former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran who hopped to several parties before seeking refuge in the parent party, was on Tuesday expelled from the AIADMK by its interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Ramachandran, who served as minister in the governments of M Karunanidhi and MGR, was removed from his primary membership of the party on the charges of “bringing disrepute” to the AIADMK, hours after expelled leader O Panneerselvam appointed the former as the political advisor to his faction.

“Panruti S Ramachandran, organising secretary, is being removed from all positions, including his primary membership, for acting against the principles of the party and bringing disrepute. Partymen are advised not to have any contact with him,” a statement signed by Palaniswami said.

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The veteran leader, who joined the AIADMK when MGR quit DMK and launched his own party in 1972, has been vocal in his criticism of Palaniswami’s leadership for the past few days. He also went to the extent of claiming that the AIADMK will “walk into the oblivion” if Palaniswami continues to steer the party.

Ramachandran has been advocating the need for all factions of the AIADMK – EPS, OPS, V K Sasikala, and T T V Dhinakaran – coming together to strengthen the party. Though he kept away from the factional feud in the AIADMK for a long time, Ramachandran broke his silence a few months ago when he welcomed Sasikala, the long-time aide of J Jayalalithaa, at his residence.

The veteran leader sided with Jayalalithaa in 1987 when she challenged the claim by MGR’s widow Janaki Ramachandran. However, he fell favour from Jayalalithaa in 1991 and quit the party to join PMK.

After a stint in the PMK, Ramachandran kept away from politics for a while before he joined the DMDK launched by actor Vijayakant. He quit the DMDK in 2014 and rejoined the AIADMK under Jayalalithaa.