CHENNAI: AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday charged that O Panneerselvam was acting as a lackey of the ruling DMK and also accused him of colluding with the DMK in ruining the AIADMK.
Thanking the AIADMK General Council (GC) members for electing him as the interim general secretary of the party, Palaniswami said: "Instead of attending the GC meeting, Panneerselvam has gone to the party headquarters with rowdy elements, attacking the AIADMK cadre. He had broken open the chamber of Amma (Jayalalithaa) and taken away files. In a nutshell, he is acting as a lackey of the DMK, which wishes to destroy the AIADMK. Bad times have started for Chief Minister MK Stalin because he is planning to ruin the AIADMK. Don't see me as the old Palaniswami. Whoever attempts to destroy us, will destroy themselves. Despite representation, the State police did not provide protection to the AIADMK headquarters."
Palaniswami claimed that Panneerselvam was in touch with the DMK. He said many senior leaders had held talks with Panneerselvam about the single leadership but he did not heed to the words of the functionaries. Panneerselvam was never a loyalist of Amma. He had worked as an election agent for those who contested against Amma's candidates. Taking a dig at the DMK, Palaniswami said: "AIADMK is not a company. If Palaniswami is not there, another Chinnasamy will occupy his seat.
Talking to reporters at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital after visiting the party cadre who had suffered injuries in the clash that took place around AIADMK headquarters, Palaniswami said the DMK government colluded with OPS to orchestrate the developments at party headquarters on Monday. Palaniswami said he would take legal steps to open the AIADMK headquarters soon.
Speaking at the GC meeting, Natham R Viswanathan said: "Panneerselvam claims that Amma (J Jayalalithaa) had never been harsh towards him. We know what kind of harsh remarks Amma had used against Panneerselvam. Amma had termed Panneerselvam a betrayer and asked him not to see her again after Panneerselvam spoiled the electoral prospects of Thanga Thamizh Selvan. For about six months, Amma did not speak to Panneerselvam. If he has guts, Panneerselvam should have given that too as part of the newspaper's advertisement. I too had been censured by Amma at times, but Panneerselvam is trying to create an illusion that Amma was always kind towards him. That's wrong," Viswanathan added.