Disgruntled leaders skip AIADMK's 55th Founding day fete, SPVelumani backs EPS's unity call, wants OPS back in party

Chennai, Oct 17 (UNI) The Opposition AIADMK, which has been beset with multiple problems, including successive poll losses and largescale defections to the ruling TVK, on Saturday celebrated its 55th Founding day in a grand manner, with key dissident leaders including party strongmen and former Ministers S.P.Velumani and C.Ve.Shanmugam boycotted it, fuelling intra-party differences further. Though boycotting the fete, Velumani backed party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami's call for unity and demanded bringing back estranged leaders, including former Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam, now with the DMK, into the party to strengthen the organisation. Velumani dismissed speculation that he might leave the…