TTV Dhinakaran not aware of party rules: R Vaithilingam

CHENNAI: AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP R. Vaithilingam has hit out at rebel leader TTV Dhinakaran saying he does not know the constitution and rules of the party as he was just "eight years old" when the outfit was launched by late legendary actor MG Ramachandran. He also dismissed any "political motive" in the raids that targeted the VK Sasikala family, saying I-T department has been mandated under the law to conduct searches at places belonging to anyone based on inputs.

Targeting Dhinakaran, the rebel leader who was dismissed from the AIADMK by the general council in September, Vaithilingam said the former MP was "inexperienced" in politics and was speaking out of turn without any grasp of issues. "Dhinakaran was just eight years old when the AIADMK was launched and he does not know the rules and regulations of the party. He is inexperienced in politics and he does not know what the party stands for. We are sure that Two Leaves will be allotted to AIADMK headed by EPS-OPS," Vaithilingam said.

Responding to questions from reporters, he also dismissed charges of "political vendetta" by Dhinakaran with regard to the I-T raids. "I-T department has all powers to conducts searches anywhere and there is no political motive behind the raids on the Mannargudi family," he said.