AIADMK rebel leaders skip district secretaries' meeting as party reviews recent bypolls

Rebel figures S.P. Velumani and Natham R. Viswanathan stayed away from the AIADMK district secretaries' gathering in Chennai on Sunday. The meeting was chaired by party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami at the party headquarters. Senior members A. Tamilmagan Hussain, K.P. Munusamy and Dindigul C. Sreenivasan were present. Delegates examined the party’s showing in the Dharapuram and Madurantakam Assembly by‑elections and set plans for the general council and executive committee sessions slated for December. Earlier, Palaniswami had denounced the Tamil Nadu government’s pricing of medicines in Mudhalvar Marundhagams, saying a report from the All India Drug Action Network showed prices above the official ceiling and hurting low‑income patients. The gathering also marked the induction of retired Additional Superintendent of Police S. Velladurai, noted for his role in several police encounters, who joined the AIADMK in Palaniswami’s presence.

Context

The meeting reflects ongoing friction between the party’s main leadership and its dissenting faction, while also highlighting concerns over drug pricing that affect the poor in the state.