The two former ministers skip the review meetings chaired by Palaniswami

Two former AIADMK ministers did not turn up for the party’s district consultations chaired by Edappadi K. Palaniswami general secretary for their districts on Thursday.

P. Balakrishna Reddy of Hosur and KP Anbalagan of Palacode were not present in the review sessions held for Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts.

About his non-participation, Mr Reddy told The Hindu: “I joined the party in 2006. I worked for 20 years. Now they are making all kinds of new changes. Let them do it. I did not participate because I was out of town. That’s all.” Mr. Anbalagan simply stated, “I just stayed in my hometown. There is no other reason.”

In Krishnaigiri, which has six seats, the Dravidian major won in two seats, Bargur and Hosur. AIADMK deputy general secretary KP Munusamy, who is a member of the team that reviews the party’s performance in district areas, lost by 138 votes in Veppanahalli.

Of the five seats in Dharmapuri, it won three seats – Palacode, Pappireddipatti and Harur. Its ally, the PMK, ousted Dharmapuri. In total, the AIADMK-led combine got four seats.

Mr Reddy and Mr Anbalagan were among the 25 dissidents who supported the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at the time of the confidence motion in the Assembly in May. For their opposition to the party’s line of progress, the two were removed from the post of District Secretary for Krishnagiri (West) and Dharmapuri units. Although Mr. Palaniswami tried to accommodate them and many such dissidents a few weeks ago by offering some additional posts in the party, the two former ministers, along with seven others, subsequently wrote to him that they would prefer to remain “ordinary workers”.

Published – 10 Jul 2026 0:32 IST