Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday said he was not in touch with MLAs belonging to the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) headed by rebel leader O. Panneerselvam.
Mr. Palaniswami, who welcomed AIADMK (PTA) MLA V.C. Arukutty into the ruling party, told journalists here he was not aware if more MLAs owing allegiance to Mr. Panneerselvam would switch loyalties in the coming days. “We are not in touch with the MLAs in the OPS camp and I am not aware of more joining us following Mr. Arukutty,” he said.
When asked about the continuing protest against the hydrocarbon project in Neduvasal village for more than 100 days, Mr. Palaniswami said that the issue was related to the Union Government and the State Government had no role to play. The State government was rendering all assistance to solve the issue.
When his attention was drawn to the detention of activist M. Valarmathi, 23, a final year MA student of Periyar University under the Goondas Act, Mr. Palaniswami claimed that a large number of students of schools and colleges were taken in by the false propaganda spread by activists like Valarmathi. This would cause much harm to their future. The government had taken action against Ms. Valarmathi in the interest of protecting the future of innocent students, he contended. Moreover, many cases of instigating the students and the public were pending against Ms. Valarmathi in different courts in the State, he said.
‘Will last full term’
On the complaints that Amma Unavagams were not functioning properly due to losses suffered by them, the Chief Minister said that the government had taken all steps needed for the effective functioning of the same. The Amma Unavagams which immensely benefitted the poor and the downtrodden were launched not with an eye on profit. It was a service project. The government would sanction more funds for further improving their functioning, he said.
Earlier at a government function at Edappadi to inaugurate the completed development projects, Mr. Palaniswami said that his government was functioning effectively by launching various projects for the benefit of all sections of the society and asserted that it would complete its term.
