AIADMK marks foundation day by giving away assistance

Chennai: The AIADMK on Saturday celebrated its founding anniversary in a grand manner and distributed welfare assistance to beneficiaries, a day after vowing to retain power for the third time in a row by winning the 2021 Assembly elections.

Party coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam garlanded the statues of AIADMK founder leader M G Ramachandran and late supremo J Jayalalithaa at the party headquarters here and hoisted the party flag amid bursting of crackers and playing of traditional music.

He gave away demand drafts totally worth Rs 26,39,778 to 28 students (23 MBBS and five BDS and engineering students) as the party's assistance.

Party co-coordinator and Chief Minister K Palaniswami paid floral tributes to the two iconic leaders of the AIADMK in his home district Salem and unfurled the party flag.

Founded on this day in 1972, the party completes 48 years, out of which it was in power for nearly 30 years and steps on to its 49th year today.

The party headquarters, that teemed with cadres, wore a festive look with decorative flowers, garlands and a welcome arch at the entrance.

Avvai Shanmugam Salai, where the party office is situated, was dotted with party flags and festoons on both sides of the road

When Panneerselvam arrived, cadres showered flower petals on his car and office-bearers vied with each other to present bouquets to him.

Party presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, State Ministers, including D Jayakumar, S P Velumani, P Thangamani, R B Udhayakumar, Sellur K Raju, KT Rajenthra Bhalaji and R Kamaraj, party deputy coordinators K P Munusamy and R Vaithilingam participated.

Assembly polls are due in Tamil Nadu during April-May 2021.

On the eve of the party's foundation day, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam had urged cadres to take a vow to work for a record hat-trick poll victory. The AIADMK had posted two back to back Assembly election victories in 2011 and 2016.

"Let us make the historic achievement of AIADMK remaining in the seat of power during its golden jubilee celebrations (2021-22)." From June 1977 to January 1988 and during 1991-96, and 2001-06 the AIADMK was in power.