And now, it's Latha versus Jayalalitha
Actress Latha, who starred with the late
Tamil Nadu chief minister M G Ramachandran in numerous
celluloid blockbusters, on Wednesday joined the Thirunavukkarasu faction of the
All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Her reason for plunging into politics:
she wanted to help rebuild the party which she said was in disarray after Jayalalitha Jayaram's
five-year rule of the state.
Addressing a press conference after formally joining the party
in the presence of Thirunavukkarasu and other frontline
leaders, Latha said Jayalalitha had defamed MGR's
reputation and misused her position in
the government and in the party for personal aggrandisement and
for the benefit of a family (a reference to the family of Sasikala
Natarajan).
Latha had joined the AIADMK when MGR floated it
in 1972, but was not an active member. She acted in 120
South Indian movies and was recognised
as a leading star after she starred in lead roles opposite
MGR.
With Latha joining the Thirunavukkarasu faction, two leading
ladies in MGR movies, Jayalalitha and Latha, are now
ranged against each other in the two factions bearing the
same name.
Asked whether Latha would be given any position in the party,
Thirunavukkarasu said that would be decided later.
Latha said she would undertake a tour of Tamil Nadu in
consultation with party leaders, but claimed she did not
hanker after any
position.
By rejoining the AIADMK and taking an active role in
public life, Latha said she was only repaying a debt of gratitude to MGR.
Referring to continuing communal violence in the state, Thirunavukkarasu said the killing of panchayat president Murugesan
and five others at Thennagarampatti village near Madurai on Monday
was condemnable and the police should have taken precautionary
measures as he had sought protection as his life was threatened.
Deleting the names of political leaders from districts
and transport corporations as done by the government on Monday, Thirunavakkarasu felt,
would not by itself avert caste clashes.
Many roads, townships, colonies, and public buildings were still
named after various leaders, he pointed out. His party was for retaining the existing names but not to
allow new names, he added.
UNI
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