AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam on July 28 categorically said that no individual or a person belonging to “one family” would be allowed to take over control of the party.
Responding to a question on former party interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala’s claim that she would soon be back to retrieve control and save the AIADMK, Mr. Panneerselvam pointed out that he and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami were discharging their duties through consensus (since August 2017). “The AIADMK general council and the cadre have endorsed this arrangement,” he said.
Contending that the vote share difference between the DMK and the AIADMK was marginal – which he attributed to the DMK’s “false” electoral promises – Mr. Panneerselvam said the party remained strong and intact.
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“No individual can any more try to shake the party,” he said. “The foundation is so strong and laid by the late leaders MGR and Jayalalithaa, that the party would remain intact under the [joint] leadership of Mr. Palaniswami and him and other senior leaders.”
Mr. Panneerselvam and Mr. Palaniswami had on Tuesday returned from New Delhi where they had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Interacting with journalists in Bodinayakkanur after participating in a demonstration organised to condemn the DMK government for its “false poll promises”, the former Deputy Chief Minister said he would appear before the Justice Arumugasamy Commission, which is probing into the hospitalisation and death of Jayalalithaa, when summoned the next time.
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According to him, the DMK government had failed in COVID-19 management and needlessly faulting the Centre and the erstwhile AIADMK government. “The DMK instead of reducing fuel prices as promised in its manifesto was shifting the blame on the Centre,” he felt. “People were being put to hardship due to power cuts,” he alleged.
Mr. Panneerselvam said the AIADMK has reiterated to the Prime Minister that Karnataka cannot build a dam at Mekedatu without Tamil Nadu’s permission. He accused the DMK of mishandling the Cauvery dispute.
He did not approve of action against some farmers in Theni such as disconnecting of power supply on charges that they were illegally tapping water from Mullaiperiyar dam.
The AIADMK would stand by the farmers, who had obtained permission from the PWD to dig wells and the TANGEDCO had given power connections.