Theni: In a dramatic turn out of events, the former Chief Minister and AIADMK rebel leader O.Panneerselvam today said that the merger of two factions of the party would be possible only if VK.Sasikala family is ousted from the AIADMK.
Talking to reporters at Periyakulam today, Panneerselvam ruled out the merger of the two factions of AIADMK as long as Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran remained in the party affairs.
“We are very firm that the party and rule should not be in the hands of a family (Sasikala)” Panneerselvam, who is heading the AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction, said.
He said that Amma (later chief minister J Jayalalithaa) drove the Sasikala family out after Sasikala and her coterie had betrayed. “Sasikala was admitted in only after she gave an apology and made a promise stating that she would never aspire for any post in the party. She also, in the letter written to Jayalalithaa, admitted the involvement of her family in shadow conspiracy. But, after the demise of Jayalalithaa, Sasikala broke the promise she had made to Amma”, Panneerselvam said.
We have been insisting that the family against whom we have waged a war had indulged in activities bringing disrepute to the entire State. This is a democratic party for people and cadres. If we don’t follow this path, then it will be an injustice to the people, he said.
Panneerselvam also raised the issue of the legitimacy of Dinakaran’s appointment as the party’s Deputy General Secretary by Sasikala. Dinakaran was not even a member of the party till Amma’s demise and elections for the office-bearers of AIADMK was illegal, he said.
“Party and government should not be in the hands of a family and this is our basic principle. We have not deviated from our stand. We stick to our principle. Any change in our stand will be injustice to the people of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK cadres”, he said.