Vowing to continue his fight to resist one family’s control over the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu’s outgoing Chief Minister O Panneerselvam today said that ‘his ‘dharma yuddh’ will continue until Amma’s (Jayalalithaa) rule is re-established in the state’.
“We will continue with our 'dharm yudh' until Amma's rule is established,” he said.
Addressing his supporters here, he vowed not to let the AIADMK go into the hands of jailed party supremo VK Sasikala’s family members.
“We will not let the party (AIADMK) go into the hands of few of VK Sasikala's family members. Out fight will continue against one family controlling the AIADMK,” he added.
Panneerselvam, late CM Jayalalithaa’s ‘man Friday’, also expressed confidence of emerging victorious in the fight.
Panneerselvam claimed that the people were angry as a new government was being formed with the support of MLAs who he said were held in ‘captivity’ since a power struggle erupted in the AIADMK.
Meanwhile, a 10-member delegation from the OPS camp has petitioned the Election Commission in Delhi seeking orders be passed to stop the swearing in of Sasikala loyalist Edappadi K Palaniswami as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on the grounds that her camp does not represent the party.
AIADMK lawmaker K. Pandiarajan told the media here that leaders from the camp of outgoing Chief Minister Panneerselvam will press their point before the poll panel that the election of Sasikala as party General Secretary is "void".
According to them, the AIADMK General Secretary is to be elected by party cadres in an election whereas Sasikala was elected at a meeting of the General Council.
Palaniswami, who belongs to the AIADMK camp led by now-jailed Sasikala, will take oath today evening, the Raj Bhavan said. Palaniswami will have to prove his majority in the assembly within 15 days.
The crisis in the state started on February 7 after Panneerselvam revolted against Sasikala alleging that he was forced to resign as Chief Minister to pave way for her to occupy that post. Panneerselvam was later dismissed as the AIADMK Treasurer and also from the party's primary membership.
Later, a section of AIADMK leaders started rallying behind him while Sasikala housed the legislators supporting her at a beach resort around 90 km from Chennai.
However, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court convicted the 62-year-old leader thus halting her ambition to capture power. Immediately after the judgement was announced, Sasikala appointed Palaniswami as the legislative party leader. She even re-inducted two of her sacked relatives into the party.
