Rebel AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam will soon undertake a roadshow in the quest for ‘justice’ and will hold a public meeting in Salem in the coming days, former School Education Minister Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan said on Wednesday.
Mr. Pandiarajan, who is with the Panneerselvam camp, told journalists here on Wednesday that the dates for the roadshow will be decided either after the dates for the local body polls are announced or after the Election Commission pronounces its decision on the petition challenging jailed AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala’s appointment as party interim general secretary.
The OPS camp members are hopeful of another vote of confidence on the floor of the Legislative Assembly. “In about 10 days, the Assembly will reconvene. A lot of things will happen. MLAs who have gone back to their constituencies will see the reaction of their voters and come back. Their conscience will be influenced by their voters’ reactions,” he contended.
Mr. Pandiarajan said the OPS camp has once again asked for a secret ballot when the Assembly convenes either for the Budget session or when it takes up the motion of no-confidence against the Speaker moved by the DMK. “There are lots of opportunities (for MLAs to switch sides)”.
He added that the Sasikala camp, in its reply to the EC, has not disputed the fact that bylaws of the party mandate that general secretary should be elected through a voting process in which all the members should participate. “They have accepted that this is the rule – all should vote,” Mr. Pandiarajan said. “Hopefully, the Election Commission will take a good decision,” he added.
