CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) adopted a conciliatory tone, appealing to his partymen to unite and strengthen Tamil Nadu ruling party AIADMK. In a pledge to keep the party united, Palaniswami said, “We will stay united to protect the party. We are ready to make any sacrifice for that. We will never allow the party to be divided by people trying to promote their own interests. We take this vow in the land of Perarignar Anna.”
The plea came as 21 MLAs in the party pledged allegiance to TTV Dhinakaran. The former general secretary of the party and VK Sasikala's nephew, talking to reporters said, “Traitors will be defeated”. He also reminded Palaniswami and deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) that they got their positions because of his aunt- currently in a prison in Bengaluru. The Dhinakaran camp now plans to seek the intervention of the President against the CM in the wake of reports that the governor expressed inability to intervene in the current turmoil in the party.
He said the EPS-OPS camp had been given enough time. “After assuming charge, he (EPS) wants to remove Sasikala, who chose him for the post of chief minister, and declare that my appointment (as deputy general secretary) is invalid. Our question is how can a person, who acts in his own interests and seeks power, be a chief minister,” Dhinakaran said.
Palaniswami who spoke in the presence of Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai, and other cabinet colleagues, said “no power can oppress the party”. OPS said, “There was no room for family rule in Amma's government, which is a strong fort, safeguarding the interests of the poor.”
