DMDK chief Vijayakanth has sent a stern message that party's official line should be toed and there is no room for dissent. (File photo)
DMDK chief Vijayakanth has expelled 10 rebels from his party, including three legislators, for advocating an alliance with the DMK and challenging the party chief's decision to join hands with the People's Welfare Front (PWF) for the upcoming May 16 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
"Since they violated party discipline, besmirched and brought disrepute to the reputation of the party, they are expelled from their respective posts and primary membership of the party," Mr Vijayakanth said in a statement.
Displaying a letter addressed to party chief, V Chandrakumar, legislator and Propaganda Secretary of the party had earlier said "The DMDK cadre want alliance with the DMK. The party can't win elections in alliance with the PWF."
MDMK chief Vaiko, who is the coordinator of the Vijayakanth Front, has blamed the DMK for this crisis. He said, "The DMK is poaching people from other parties by paying money. They are trying to destroy the DMDK but that would never happen. We would form the next government."
DMK sources have dismissed the allegation.
This is the second time the DMDK is facing rebellion. Though the party won 29 seats in the last assembly polls in alliance with the AIADMK, eight of its legislators, including Panrutti Ramacnandran and Ma Foi Pandiarajan, soon had shifted loyalty to the ruling AIADMK. Among them the party has given tickets only to these two for the May polls.
Though the DMK and the BJP wooed DMDK, Mr Vijayakanth joined hands with the PWF which named him the chief ministerial candidate. While DMDK would contest in 124 seats, the PWF - that comprises four parties - would share 110 seats.
The DMDK, which fought the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the BJP, drew a blank.