Jayalalithaa removes Velusamy from key AIADMK post

Chennai/Coimbatore: Continuing with the post-election reshuffle in her party, AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday removed senior leader S M Velusamy from a key party post, prompting him to submit his resignation as Mayor of Coimbatore Corporation.

Jayalalithaa announced in a statement that Velusamy, a former Minister, was being removed as AIADMK's Coimbatore Urban District Secretary and replaced him with his Coimbatore suburban counterpart and Municipal Administration Minister, S P Velumani.

Velumani will handle party affairs till an appointment is made to the post of Urban District Secretary, she said.

The AIADMK general secretary however did not divulge the reasons for Velusamy's removal from the key post.

Meanwhile, Velusamy handed over his resignation letter to Corporation Commissioner G Latha, official sources said.