MNM relieves Mahendran from all party posts

Chennai, May 7 (IANS) The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) headed by actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Friday relieved former MNM Vice President R. Mahendran from all party posts.Mahendran had quit the party on Thursday, days after MNM's dismal performance in the recently-held Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, in which the party drew a blank.MNM General Secretary (Headquarters) Santhosh Babu said in a statement that Mahendran has been relieved from all his responsibilities and positions in the party.Babu also said that the MNM general secretaries had taken responsibility for the party's poll debacle and resigned from their posts, denying rumours that these leaders had quit the party, adding that party President Kamal Haasan will take a decision on these leaders.Mahendran had submitted his resignation on Thursday and told the media that Kamal Haasan had listened to the advice of an external consulting agency which resulted in the party's heavy defeat in the Assembly polls.Kamal Haasan had in turn termed Mahendran as a "betrayer" and said that he was a "stumbling block" in the growth of several hard working party cadres.
--IANS aal/arm