MDMK all set for split, rebel leaders lose posts

Chennai, Dec 24 (UNI) The 13-year-old Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) floated by firebrand leader Vaiko after being expelled from the DMK is all set to suffer a split with two senior rebel leaders -- L Ganesan and Gingee N Ramachandran -- virtually being packed off from the party.

The week-long crisis turned worse last evening when Mr Vaiko, after an urgent meeting of district secretaries and other bodies, removed Presidium Chairman Ganesan and Deputy General Secretary Gingee N Ramachandran from the party posts.

Even as the two leaders were holding confabulations with their supporters in the districts to chalk out their next course of action, Mr Vaiko clipped their wings by removing them from party posts and disqualified them from participating in any of the party fora.

Surprisingly, the two leaders were not removed from the primary membership of the party and this was seen as a move by the high command to make them quit the party on their own.

They were only allowed to continue as members of party's village units.

Mr Vaiko's action had come at a time when Mr Ganesan openly declared that being the Presidium Chairman, he had all rights to take part in the meeting of district secretaries convened by Mr Vaiko for tomorrow.

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