Family rule in AIADMK will soon be history, says O Panneerselvam

Chennai: Declaring that the faction led by him was the “original AIADMK”, rebel leader O. Panneerselvam on Friday vowed to redeem the party and “Amma’s government” from the clutches of “one family.”

Launching a frontal attack on the family of AIADMK general secretary V. K. Sasikala, Mr Panneerselvam said it was “unfortunate” that the party and the government has gone into the hands of “one family” against the wishes of late Jayalalithaa.  

The former chief minister also took a dig at AIADMK deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran’s appeal to leaders like him to return to the party, saying he was “shocked” with the statement since the former MP was “not even a primary member of the AIADMK and was never taken back into the party till Amma was alive.”

Addressing a public meeting after distributing freebies on the 69th birth anniversary of late Jayalalithaa at her R K Nagar constituency here, Mr Panneerselvam reiterated his demand for a judicial inquiry into the circumstances that led to the death of the former chief minister, who was hospitalised on September 22 last year.

“Amma never wanted the party and the government to go into the hands of this family. No one can deny that Sasikala was banished from Poes Garden and her family members were expelled from the party. After sometime, Amma re-inducted only Sasikala into Poes Garden and the AIADMK and said others remain expelled from the party,” Mr Panneerselvam said, adding Mr Dinakaran was among those expelled.

“His (Dinakaran’s) reentry itself is illegal since it was approved by temporary general secretary V.K. Sasikala and it is shocking that he invites us into AIADMK. We are the original AIADMK. 122 MLAs may be with Sasikala, but the cadre and people are with us. Amma remains the general secretary of AIADMK since no election has been held for the top post,” he said.

Against the wishes of late Amma, Mr Panneerselvam said the Government and the party have “unfortunately” gone into the hands of the family and soon the AIADMK and its symbol “Two Leaves” will “come to us.”

“Finally, it is dharma that wins. Dharma Yudham to retrieve the party and the government from the family will continue. This Dharma Yudham will end only with the exit of the family from government and party,” Mr Panneerselvam said.
Reiterating his demand for a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jayalalithaa, Mr Panneerselvam said the inquiry should be conducted under the aegis of the Union Government.