Former AIADMK District Secretary and Former Mayor Ganapathy P. Rajkumar joined DMK
Coimbatore: The political landscape of Coimbatore witnessed a dramatic turn as Rajkumar, a prominent figure who served various roles in AIADMK and was Coimbatore’s mayor during Jayalalithaa’s last tenure, switched allegiances to the DMK today.
This move was formalized at 11 AM at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, in a ceremony graced by DMK’s stalwarts including party leader MK Stalin, General Secretary Duraimurugan, and Deputy General Secretary A. Raja MP, alongside Coimbatore East District Officer N. Karthik MLA.
Rajkumar’s political journey saw a notable moment when Velusamy, the then mayor, resigned overnight after a controversial incident where he hit a pedestrian with his car and failed to provide assistance. This incident, reported to then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, led to Rajkumar’s nomination and subsequent victory in a landslide during the by-elections for the Coimbatore Corporation, serving as mayor in 2014 and 2015.
However, following political turbulence within AIADMK and Jayalalithaa’s withdrawal from active party activities, Rajkumar voiced his support for Panneerselvam during the factional split, eventually stepping away from the AIADMK for four years. His recent induction into the DMK not only marks his return to active politics but also signifies a significant shift in Coimbatore’s political dynamics, leaving members of the AIADMK in surprise and contemplation over the future landscape of local politics.