TTV Dhinakaran media creation, he imposed his candidature on us, says CM Palaniswami
Madurai: Terming rebel leader TTV Dhinakaran a “media creation”, a combative Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday launched a scathing attack on him and accused him of “forcing his candidature” in the by-elections to Dr R K Nagar constituency on the AIADMK leadership including him.
Palaniswami also declared that he was “elected as Chief Minister” by the legislators of the AIADMK and not because of Dhinakaran, punching holes in the rebel leader's claim that his ascension to Fort St George was possible only due to efforts by him and jailed leader V. K. Sasikala after she was sentenced to four years in jail in the disproportionate assets (DA) case.
“Who is Dhinakaran? He is just a media creation. The news media created him and is giving him undue importance only to sensationalize news. Media thinks he is a big politician and the thinking is not true. What is his contribution to the AIADMK? How much did he sacrifice for the party? He was banished from the AIADMK by Amma and he could re-launch himself into politics only after her death,” Palaniswami said.
Asked why Dhinakaran was announced the AIADMK candidate for R K Nagar by-elections in April, Palaniswami said Dhinakaran had forced his candidature on the party. “No one approved his candidature. He announced that he would be the candidate when I was in Salem. We accepted the decision then only to save the party from any crisis. The candidature was forced upon us,” the Chief Minister said.
Recalling his journey in the AIADMK, Palaniswami said he has been a member of the party since 1974 and rose in its rank from being a branch secretary to MLA to district secretary to headquarters secretary and now chief minister. “I have been jailed six times and have given everything to the party. The party created us and we have been living for the party. I have been associated with AIADMK for 43 years,” he said.
On Dhinakaran's often repeated statement that Palaniswami became CM only because of his family, the Chief Minister said: “I was elected by the AIADMK Legislature Party and not because of anyone's support. If Dhinakaran had elected me, all the legislators should have been on his side now,” he said.
Palaniswami prays at Meenakshi temple
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday worshipped at the Goddess Meenakshi temple along with local ministers before he left for Sivaganga to participate in the MGR birth centenary celebrations there. Mr Palaniswami visited the Meenakshi Amman Temple early in the day, accompanied by Cooperation minister, Sellur K Raju and Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar. He offered prayers to the presiding deities of the temple and lighted lamps.
Madurai district collector, Mr. Veera Raghava Rao, Thakkar (Chairman of Board of Trustees), Karumuttu T. Kannan and temple joint commissioner Natarajan, earlier welcomed the Chief Minister. Later at the circuit house, he also met the medical team of the Government Rajaji Hospital who successfully conducted an organ transplantation operation in the hospital.
