DMK's KKSSR Ramachandran earns ire of EPS, OPS factions for jibe on Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: AIADMK factions led by both Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam on Friday condemned Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran’s recent remark about former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Taking strong exception to the remark, former minister D Jayakumar, who belongs to the EPS faction, said it was the AIADMK that introduced KKSSR Ramachandran to politics and made him a minister. “The AIADMK cadre will never forgive Ramachandran for this blunder of a remark. It would be wise for him to not forget his past,” he added.

Panneerselvam, in a statement, ridiculed Ramachandran’s claim that he too played a part in introducing Jayalalithaa to politics. “No one will accept this. He switched loyalties to the DMK for the sake of a party post. If he wants to praise the DMK leadership, let him do it. But belittling the AIADMK leader cannot be tolerated,” OPS said.

Speaking at a DMK meeting, the revenue minister had said when Jayalalithaa decided to settle in Hyderabad, he and S Thirunavukkarasar stopped her. “We told her she alone could save Tamil Nadu. The state was ruined for many years due to the plunder that followed,” Ramachandran had said recently.