CHENNAI: Political activity in the camps headed by Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami and TTV Dhinakaran gained momentum on Tuesday, with both leaders meeting party MLAs during the day.
Though there were no comments or statements from Palaniswami or Dhinakaran, those from the latter camp targeted Finance Minister D Jayakumar even while maintaining that there was no threat to the government due to the inner party wrangling.
While Jayakumar had said that no one from the party would meet Dhinakaran or have any connection with him, the latter’s Adyar residence saw a host of MLAs and functionaries making a beeline on Tuesday. There were at least 27 MLAs and office-bearers, including district secretaries among them.
Palaniswami too met MLAs from eight party districts at the Secretariat, but all maintained that they only discussed issues related to their constituencies ahead of the ensuing budget session. Some of the most vocal and vociferous supporters of Dhinakaran like legislator P Vetrivel met Palaniswami. “When we meet the Chief Minister, we will insist that Sasikala and Dhinakaran should be with the party,” said the MLAs after meeting Dhinakaran.
Though the Palaniswami group has many who are key to decision-making, it was Jayakumar who was in the cross-hairs of the Dhinakaran faction.
Speaking to the media after meeting Dhinakaran, one of his staunch loyalists, Thanga Thamizhselvan, dismiseed Jayakumar’s comments on keeping Dhinakaran away from party affairs as the minister’s personal view. “As far as the party is concerned, general secretary V K Sasikala and her deputy Dhinakaran alone have powers to take decisions. Very soon, you will hear about action against Jayakumar for violating the party rules,” he added.
Echoing him, former MLA V P Kalairajan said there was no need to attach any importance to the comments made by a minister. “If it comes from the Chief Minister, then we can take that seriously,” he added.
But Jayakumar downplayed it, saying important decisions are now being taken by a committee. MLAs meeting Dhinakaran “might be a personal one” and need not be politicised, he said.
Vetrivel and Thamizhselvan made it clear that they would not create trouble that would topple the government. Significantly, K Pandiarajan, former minister and a key person in the rebel OPS faction, shared a tweet that said the rebels would vote in favour of the government if there was any threat to its continuation.