Top leader quits MNM; blames lack of democracy in Kamal Haasan's party
Chennai, May 6: Makkal Needhi Maiam Vice President R Mahendran on Thursday resigned from the party, saying "there seemed to be no democracy" in the Kamal Haasan-led organisation.
The decision of the party's number two ranked leader came on a day when MNM announced that seven other senior functionaries have also tendered their "resignation."
Mahendran, who unsuccessfully contested the April 6 Assembly polls from Singanallur constituency in Coimbatore, told reporters he submitted a letter to Haasan, informing his resignation from the party post as well as its primary membership.
He blamed a "few advisors" at "the top" over the running of the party and said Haasan's way of steering the party "is not okay."
Mahendran said he "felt like there is no democracy."
"Many worked hard with the hope that this will change after polls. So I stayed with him (Haasan) but felt that in the last month or so there was no change in his approach."
He said he came armed with his resignation letter to the party's Executive Committee meeting today and handed it over to Haasan.
Meanwhile, the party in an official statement said that besides Mahendran, other seniors including AG Maurya, M Muruganandam, CK Kumaravel and Umadevi "gave their resignation letters."
Haasan will soon consider them, it said.
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Will vacate one of two assembly seats won in 10 days: BJP''s Suvendu
Kolkata (PTI): BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur and secured Nandigram for three times in a row in the recent assembly polls, said on Wednesday that he would vacate one of the two constituencies within 10 days.
Adhikari also asserted that the party's central leadership would decide which constituency he would retain.
"I will vacate one seat within 10 days. The party will decide which one I retain. I will not forget my responsibility towards the people of Bhabanipur and Nandigram," he said.
Adhikari on Monday defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, puncturing what was long seen as her safest political refuge and delivering a decisive psychological blow to the TMC, amid a sweeping BJP surge across West Bengal.
Addressing party workers and supporters in Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, the BJP leader appealed to them not to take out victory processions immediately and instead maintain peace.
"Do not take out victory rallies now. Maintain peace and discipline. Celebrate after May 9, after taking permission," he told party workers.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Wednesday announced that the oath-taking ceremony of the new government will be held on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground.
Referring to alleged attacks on BJP workers during the TMC regime, Adhikari said he would not forget the “atrocities" faced by them and assured them of taking appropriate action against perpetrators through legal processes.
"I was part of the 2011 ‘poribartan’ (change), and now I am part of the real change. I offer my gratitude to the people of Nandigram," Adhikari said.
He was referring to the TMC's victory in 2011 when the Mamata Banerjee party dismantled the 34-year Left Front regime in the state.
Adhikari offered prayers at a Hanuman statue in Nandigram and remembered the BJP workers, who had died in political violence.
"We will work in such a way that the BJP government in Bengal stays for 100 years," he said, expressing hope that the BJP’s vote share in the state would rise from the current 46 per cent to 60 per cent in future elections.
The BJP leader also assured residents of Nandigram of improved drinking water supply and better hospital and education infrastructure.
