MDMK rebels Ganesan, Gingee join DMK

Chennai, Aug 5 (UNI) Two Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) rebel MPs L Ganeasn and Gingee N Ramachandran have decided to join the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Mr Ganesan, the former MDMK Presidium Chairman, who was recently expelled from the party along with Mr Ramachandran told newspersons that they would soon join the DMK, along with one lakh supporters.

After consulting senior party colleagues, both decided to join the DMK, he said adding the date and venue of the joining function would be decided after meeting DMK President and Chief Minsiter M Karunanidhi.

Mr Ganesan and Mr Ramachandran were removed from the posts of Presidium Chairman and Deputy General Secretary, respectively, after they raised a banner of revolt against the leadership for its decision to renew ties with the AIADMK prior to the 2006 asembly elections.

On being stripped of their party posts, the two leaders had convened the General Council and expelled Mr Vaiko from the party, and claimed that they were heading the real MDMK.

However, Mr Vaiko moved the Election Commission and obtained an order that the party headed by him was the real MDMK.

The two MPs were recently expelled from the primary membership of the party for defying the party whip and voting in favour of the trust vote moved by the Congress led UPA government.

After expelling them from the party, Mr Vaiko petitioned to the Lok Sabha Speaker, seeking their disqualification on the ground that they defied the party whip. The two leaders, however, maintained that Mr Vaiko had no authority to seek their disqualification.

It was in this backdrop, the two leaders decided to join the DMK For both the leaders, it was a home coming as they quit the DMK and joined the MDMK, when Mr Vaiko floated the party in 1993, after breaking away from the DMK.

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