Days after his meeting with BJP leaders, DMK MLA KK Selvam dismissed from the party

DMK MLA KK Selvam, representing Thousand lights constituency in Chennai, was on Thursday (August 13) dismissed from the party from indulging in anti-party activities. It may be recalled that Selvam had met BJP President JP Nadda and some other senior BJP leaders in Delhi on August 4, 2020.

However, after meeting the BJP leaders in Delhi, Selvam had told reporters that he was not joining the BJP and had met them only to make certain demands related to his constituency. “I visited Railways Minister Piyush Goyal to request him to install two lifts at the Nungambakkam station in my constituency and also asked BJP President JP Nadda to develop temple town Rameswaram on par with Ayodhya," he had said.

Selvam also demanded that DMK president MK Stalin must hold internal party elections and snap ties with the Congress and the Gandhi family. His other demand was about wanting Stalin to condemn Karuppar Koottam, a Youtube channel that had made a derogatory video related to a holy hymn on Lord Muruga. On being asked about reaching Delhi and meeting BJP leaders without informing the party high command, Selvam had said that he was ready to face disciplinary action from the party.

Recently there have been various reports of DMK youth wing leader and MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi wielding influence in appointing those in his close circle for plum posts. This is said to have caused heartburn among a few old-timers. 

Thousand Lights as a constituency also holds significance as it is bang in the heart of Chennai city and was a constituency that MK Stalin had also fought elections from. When asked about the possibility of more leaders from DMK joining the DMK, BJP Spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said that the BJP welcomes anybody who accepts their ideology.