Makkal Sakti’s chief sacked

By V. Shankar Ganesh, NST

The newly- formed Makkal Sakti Party’s central committee (CC) yesterday expelled its president R.S. Thanenthiran.

The expulsion, will however, take effect after Jan 17, when Thanenthiran attends another CC meeting and defends the charges of acting in a manner detrimental to the party.

The expulsion was among the six motions passed by 14 of the 27 CC members.

Only 13 members were present at the meeting while another gave his support in writing.

Party deputy president A. Vathemoorthy said among the other motions were to reaffirm the CC’s stand that it had no confidence in Thanenthiran; to suspend two previous motions calling on Thanenthiran to resign as president and also to invite him to be appointed as a party adviser.

Other motions were to cancel the showcause letters sent by Thanenthiran to 14 CC members and the last was to call for another CC meeting on Jan 17, he added.

Vathemoorthy said the CC had no choice but to terminate Thanenthiran’s membership as they had exhausted all avenues to resolve the gridlock in the party leadership.

“We are offering him a chance to settle the issue even if it is through an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

“We will let the majority decide.”

He also denied rumours purportedly spread by Thanenthiran that the CC wanted the party to join forces with the Pakatan Rakyat.

He reaffirmed that Makkal Sakti remained as Barisan Nasional sympathiser.

He said the party’s 11,000 members could not carry out any activities with this problem plaguing it.When suggested they conduct an EGM to resolve the problem, he said the party did not have the funds to do so.

Party secretary-general R. Kannan claimed that Thanenthiran had threatened to “destroy” the party if he was sacked.

It is learnt that popular Klang-based businessman O.M.S. Thiagarajan will most likely be picked as the new party chief.

Efforts to reach Thanenthiran for comments were futile and he is believed to be overseas.