PUDUKOTTAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam have asserted that they can’t be separated from each other and that any attempt to topple the government won’t succeed.
As both spoke at a wedding in Virachilai in Pudukkottai district on Monday, Panneerselvam said that even a tsunami couldn’t separate him from the chief minister and the latter said the AIADMK government would, with party cadre’s support, defeat all efforts to oust it.
On his way to Tiruchy, Palaniswami helped an accident victim reach hospital.
The chief minister stopped by and arranged an ambulance to take the wounded man to the hospital. The police arrested the car driver, R Mathiazhagan of Amaradakki.
At the Tiruchy airport, a reporter asked the chief minister why the AIADMK was lagging behind in preparations for the upcoming elections when compared with the DMK and the AMMK. “That is your opinion but the AIADMK’s growing popularity is evident by the crowds its events draw,” he said.
On the corruption charges against him, Palaniswami said there was no irregularity in awarding road contracts. “The Madras High Court has just ordered a CBI probe but not indicted me. We have appealed against the court order,” Palaniswami explained.
Talking about development, he said that a detailed project report on constructing a barrage across the Kollidam at Mukkombu was being prepared. “After the completion of this work, a tender will be floated,” he added.
“A team of engineers have been visiting every district to study the possibilities of storing surplus water in the Cauvery by constructing check dams,” he said.
Earlier in the morning, the chief minister worshipped at the Sri Renganatha Swamy temple in Srirangam, where he was accorded the Poorna Kumbha honour.
Post TTV's claims
Panneerselvam's assertion comes weeks after his rival and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam founder TTV Dhinakran made a sensational disclosure that former chief minister Panneerselvam wanted to oust the Palaniswami government with his assistance and had therefore met him last year.
Dhinakaran had said Panneerselvam wanted to meet him as he regretted revolting against deposed party leader V K Sasikala and his subsequent criticism against the family.
However, Panneerselvam has denied Dhinakaran's accusation that he wanted to dethrone Palaniswami and take over as chief minister, saying he has held the office thrice and was content.
He had, however, admitted he met Dhinakaran last July as claimed by the latter, but only with the hope that the AMMK leader would have been a 'reformed' man.
(With inputs from PTI)