AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam, co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami and the former interim general secretary, V.K. Sasikala, on Friday separately visited different rain-affected areas of Chennai.
While Mr. Panneerselvam covered parts of West Mambalam, Virugambakkam, Kotturpuram, Saidapet and Villivakkam, Mr. Palaniswami went to Pushpa Nagar at Nungambakkam, Velachery, Teynampet, Mylapore, Kottivakkam, East Tambaram and Keelkattalai. Ms. Sasikala spent some time at T. Nagar, Saidapet, Kotturpuram, Vadapalani, K.K. Nagar, Koyambedu and Otteri. All the three leaders distributed relief materials to the affected people.
Asked about Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s charge against the previous AIADMK government over flood management, Mr. Panneerselvam replied that the present government should not shirk its responsibility by levelling criticism against its predecessor. “People are expecting the Chief Minister to fulfil his election promises. It ill behoves the government to engage itself in debates or arguments.”
Mr. Palaniswami accused the government of “administrative inefficiency” in handling the Chennai floods. He contended that the problem of inundation had not been overcome yet even at Kolathur, the Chief Minister’s constituency.
As for the two AIADMK leaders having independent tours, former Villivakkam MLA J.C.D. Prabhakar, who accompanied Mr. Panneerselvam, said such a course of action was justifiable given the gravity of the problem. “The party workers welcome the two leaders enthusiastically and the question of groupism does not arise.” Former Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, who toured the city along with Mr. Palaniswami, said, “When the coordinator and the co-coordinator are involved in people’s work, it is not proper to see a division in them.”
Ms. Sasikala urged the Union Government to release adequate funds to the State for flood relief. She appealed to the State Government to expedite the relief work.
AMMK propaganda secretary C.R. Saraswathi, who was with Ms. Sasikala at K.K. Nagar and Kotturpuram, said she decided to take part at the events when she came to know of her visit. “That was the practice when Amma [Jayalalithaa] was alive,” she said, claiming that AMMK and AIADMK workers were there to greet the former interim general secretary.
