Hitting back at AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday said his party had nothing to with the ruling dispensation’s “internal squabbles”, and accused Ms. Sasikala of making false allegations after failing to become chief minister through a “short cut”.
Mr. Stalin also sought a CBI probe into Mr. Panneerselvam’s allegations that he was forced to resign to make way for Ms. Sasikala.
Mr. Stalin asked Ms. Sasikala to respond to Mr. Panneerselvam’s allegations rather than pointing fingers at his party and accused her of trying to find a way out of the problems in her party.
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“Unable to become chief minister through a short cut, she has made a fake allegation against the DMK just to find a way out of the problems,” he said.
“The DMK is not responsible for the political bickerings and internal squabbles of the AIADMK. Don’t point fingers at the DMK, if you can’t respond to Panneeselvam’s charges,” he said.
On Mr. Sasikala’s remarks that he and Mr. Panneerselvam were looking at each other and laughing together in the Assembly, Mr. Stalin described it as a part of his party’s “political decency”.
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He said he used to exchange pleasantries even with the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, and asked if that also amounted to similar allegations.
“As Leader of Opposition, I attended her swearing-in as Chief Minister last year and greeted her for which Jayalalithaa thanked me. Could Sasikala ask the same question to Jayalalithaa,” he said in a statement.
Ms. Sasikala had alleged that the DMK was behind Mr. Panneerselvam’s revolt against her.
“DMK is behind Panneerselvam...the reason is that in the recent Assembly session, the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were looking at each other and laughing together,” she said.
Mr. Stalin recalled that when Jayalalithaa was hospitalised, he visited the hospital to enquire about her health and later paid his last respects after she died. He had also consoled Mr. Panneerselvam, who was there, when the body was lying in state.
Even after Mr. Panneerselvam was appointed Chief Minister, the DMK wanted to continue this practice of “political decency” and “perhaps Ms. Sasikala did not like this cooperation between the ruling and Opposition parties,” he said.
“Panneerselvam has listed the insults faced by him last night. If she can, let Sasikala respond to those,” he said.
Mr. Stalin alleged that the State’s administrative machinery has “collapsed” and sought a CBI inquiry on Mr. Panneerselvam’s allegations that he was coerced to resign.
“The Governor [Ch Vidyasagar Rao] should immediately come to Chennai and take due steps to protect Tamil Nadu’s welfare,” he said.