THENI: Former Chief Minister and coordinator of the AIADMK Cadres’ Rights Retrieval Committee O. Panneerselvam (OPS) on Thursday said that he and his supporters are ready to reunite with the AIADMK and questioned whether TTV Dhinakaran and Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) are prepared for such unity.
Addressing the media at Periyakulam in Theni district, OPS said spreading rumours through television channels and YouTube without any concrete decision being taken was dangerous for democracy.
Referring to TTV Dhinakaran’s statement about OPS joining the NDA alliance, OPS said it was made based on friendship.
“Both TTV Dhinakaran and my ‘dear elder brother’ Edappadi Palaniswami want the AIADMK to win, and I share the same view. If TTV Dhinakaran wishes, efforts should be made to facilitate unity,” he said.
OPS alleged that the so called “second Dharma Yuddham” was created by former AIADMK leaders Manoj Pandian and R Vaithilingam, who have since joined the DMK. He reiterated that the movement was not started for elections but to reclaim the party.
“We are ready to reunite with the AIADMK. Are TTV Dhinakaran and Edappadi Palaniswami ready?” he asked.
Explaining his decision to contest as an independent candidate from Ramanathapuram in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, OPS said it was mainly to assess whether party workers would stand with him.
He said he had only 12 days for campaigning and alleged that conspiracies were hatched by six candidates, fielded against him in Tamil Nadu using his name.
OPS said his objective was to defeat such conspiracies and reclaim the AIADMK through legal battles.
He clarified that no decision has been taken yet on whether to form a separate party or contest elections independently. He said his continuous legal struggle was only to retrieve the party and urged people not to create unnecessary confusion.
Recalling that Theni district played a key role in making MGR and J Jayalalithaa Chief Ministers, OPS said those with him were fighting solely to reclaim the party. “My ultimate goal is the unity of the AIADMK,” he said.
Responding to a question on Kadambur Raju’s statement that they were united while OPS was isolated, OPS said the people of Tamil Nadu knew the truth and that repeating a lie did not make it true.