Chennai, May 21: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), a major opposition party in Tamil Nadu, faced a significant setback on Thursday as senior leader and former Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal announced his resignation. He cited neglect from the party leadership as the reason for his departure.
Dhanapal’s resignation comes at a time when the AIADMK is grappling with internal challenges and dissatisfaction among senior leaders following a disappointing performance in the recent Assembly elections.
He made the announcement during a media interaction after attending the swearing-in ceremony of his son, D. Logesh Tamilselvan, who has been appointed as a minister in the TVK-led government. The ceremony took place at the Lok Bhavan.
Expressing his discontent with the party leadership, Dhanapal stated that despite his long association with the party, he felt he was not given the respect and importance he deserved.
“The leadership has overlooked many leaders. Today, the public has also ignored them,” he remarked, which is seen as a direct criticism of the party leadership.
Dhanapal expressed his deep sadness over the current state of the AIADMK. He noted that he had been involved since the party’s inception and had closely witnessed its development over the decades.
At 76, Dhanapal has been a prominent figure in Tamil Nadu politics for over four decades. He served as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly from October 2012 to May 2021 and has also held responsibilities in various departments, including Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, Cooperation, Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection.
He has been elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly seven times, winning seats in 1977, 1980, 1984, 2001, 2011, 2016, and 2021.
His resignation is particularly significant as it follows the departure of another senior leader and former minister, S. Semmalai, raising new questions about unity and leadership stability within the party.
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