SALEM, CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday expressed confidence that his government would complete its tenure, which ends in 2021. The chief minister was in Salem on Saturday night to inaugurate various buildings here.
“We are implementing the announcements made by the former chief minister J Jayalalithaa under Rule 110 in the Assembly. When I became chief minister, some said that my government would collapse at anytime. But we are effecting various schemes to beat this claim. Our Government will continue for the remaining four years,” the chief minister said amid claps.
MLA jumps OPS ship, joins EPS camp
Kavundampalayam MLA V C Arukutty switched camps, from O Pannerselvam to Edappadi K Palaniswami in Salem on Sunday. Arukutty came to the CM’s residence at Nedunchalai Nagar and extended his support to AIADMK (Amma) faction.
Arukutty was the first MLA to support Panneerselvam after he revolted against party general secretary Sasikala.
Speaking to the media, Arukutty stated that he was peeved at the way the announcement of a public meeting, scheduled on July 29 in Coimbatore, was handled.
“For that meeting, they did not invite me and did pooja without me. When I took this issue to the party high command, they did not respond properly. While Jayalalithaa was chief minister, I had submitted various demands for the development of my constituency. Now Chief Minister Palaniswami is fulfilling my demands,” he added.
‘Personal gains could be the trigger’
Angered by Arukutty hopping over to the EPS camp, O Panneerselvam’s AIADMK-PTA made a scathing attack on him saying that ‘personal gains’ may have motivated him to leave the camp.
Hours after Arukutty called on Edappadi on Sunday, former minister K P Munusamy trained his guns on him by accusing him of betraying the people who voted for him. “Personal gains may have guided him,” Munusamy added.