A meeting of 10 Dalit AIADMK MLAs met in Chennai on Wednesday to lobby for increased representation for Dalits in terms of ministerial berths in the ruling AIADMK government
Amid the talks of a reunion of the two warring factions in the AIADMK, another rebellion is brewing in the ruling AIADMK Amma faction. The Dalit MLAs, who constitute the single largest group of legislators in the party, seek better representation in the state cabinet.
A meeting of 10 Dalit AIADMK MLAs met in Chennai on Wednesday to lobby for increased representation for Dalits in terms of ministerial berths in the ruling AIADMK government.
Two-time Perambalur MLA R Tamizhselvan, who chaired the meeting, said that they would seek better representation of Dalits in the ministry in propotion to their strength in the legislative party. "As the talks for a merger of both factions are underway, there will be a reshuffle in the cabinet very soon.We want Dalits to have better representation in the ministry," said Tamizhselvan.
Of the 135 AIADMK MLAs across both factions, 33 legislators belongs to the Dalit community, followed by 28 MLAs from the Gounder community and 20 from Mukkulathor. There are eight ministers from the Mukkulathor community, to which both Sasikala and former chief minister O Panneerselvam belongs while The Gounders are represented by six ministers. However, only three Dalits have representation in the state cabinet.
An AIADMK Dalit MLA, on condition of anonymity, said that a major grouse among the MLAs belonging to the Paraiyar community — a prominent Dalit community in Northern Tamil Nadu — was that they were not represented in the cabinet, while the Pallars and Arundhathiyars were included. Pallars are predominant in the southern districts, while Arundhathiyars are spread more widely across, with a concentration in the south and west parts of the state. "We are hopeful that the Paraiyar community will be represented in the cabinet in the future. We had taken up the issue with Amma when she was alive," the MLA said, adding that AIADMK is the only party to get the support of the Dalits across the state.
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