Former MLA Om Sakthi Sekar on Tuesday said that only those who had accepted the merger of AIADMK’s two factions in Tamil Nadu were true partymen.
Addressing a press conference along with P. Purushothaman, AIADMK secretary, Puducherry unit, he said that the AIADMK (Amma) and AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) had merged and this was followed in Puducherry also.
“We will try hard to measure up to the expectation of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to form an AIADMK-led Government in Puducherry,” he said.
Mr. Sekar had identified himself before merger with the faction headed by O. Panneerselvam while Purushothaman had cast his lot with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
‘Will stay united’
Mr. Sekar said that Mr. Dhinakaran had been expelled from the party and there was no point in backing him. “We would function as a united party in Puducherry under the leadership of Mr. Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam’’ Mr. Sekar added.
Mr. Sekar said that the four MLAs in the Puducherry unit were absent as they were preoccupied with other work. The legislators had already pledged support to Mr. Palaniswami, he added.
Mr. Purushothaman called the MLAs supporting the ousted Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran as traitors. Those who were opposing the merger and taking a different stand would be punished in due course of time, he said.
