Madurai: Though the AIADMK factions headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam have patched up, the earlier rift could have some repercussions for the coming ‘Thevar Jayanthi’ festival at Pasumponn, as uncertainty looms over adorning the statue of Muthuramalinga Thevar at the latter’s memorial with the golden ‘Kavacham (armour)’.
Late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had presented 13-kg gold armour on September 2, 2014. Since then it has been the practice of the AIADMK to adorn freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar's statue with the golden shield at his birthplace, Pasumpon, marking both his birth and death anniversaries which falls on October 30.
Till last year, Panneerselvam who had served as treasurer of the AIADMK before the split, took possession of the ‘kavacham’ from the locker of the Bank of India, Anna Nagar Branch in Madurai in the presence of Gandhi Meenal, legal heir of the Thevar family, to take to Pasumpon with police protection. After the three-day celebrations between October 28-30, the 'kavacham' is deposited back in the bank locker.
This year, soon after Panneerselvam broke away from the parent party, AIADMK (Amma) faction senior leader and Forest Minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan issued a circular to the banks, stating that he was appointed as treasurer of the party. Countering this, Panneerselvam filed a petition in the Madras High Court challenging his claim, and the case is still pending, said sources in the AIADMK.
Though the two factions officially merged on August 21, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has not so far officially announced the treasurer of the party. When some senior AIADMK functionaries approached the management of the bank asking for the ‘kavacham’ for the ensuing festival, they declined to hand it over, citing legal issues. The bank officials also asked the functionaries to clarify about the party treasurer's post, said party sources and hoped CM would reslove it in two days.
