Former AIADMK Minister Sellur Raju praises Rahul Gandhi, later qualifies comment

Sellur K. Raju of AIADMK praises Rahul Gandhi's simplicity, sparking controversy in Tamil Nadu political circles.

Former Tamil Nadu Minister and AIADMK Madurai urban district secretary, Sellur K. Raju on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 created ripples by posting a video clipping of Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, on social media platform X with the comment that he was overwhelmed watching the young leader.  

However, as his post set tongues wagging, Mr. Raju, a legislator, played it down claiming he had posted the video as he liked the “simplicity” of Mr. Gandhi.

The 90-second video clip showed the Congress MP sitting in a crowded restaurant and interacting with people around, including children and youth and taking selfies with them. 

“See, how he freely mingles with people in the hotel, whereas even ward secretaries of political parties in Tamil Nadu want to show off by cordoning off seats in public places,” he said. 

Stating that Mr. Gandhi was not just a politician, but the son of a former Prime Minister, the AIADMK leader said he was still so simple and “his simplicity should be emulated by all politicians in Tamil Nadu.”

Political leaders abroad followed a very simple life, he said adding that public life behaviour of politicians in Tamil Nadu had changed in the last few years. 

Stating that he had followed simplicity from his party leader, M.G. Ramachandran, Mr. Raju said even the party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami led a simple life. “Only Amma (Jayalalithaa) being a woman leader wanted to be different,” he added.