No meeting on taking back expelled AIADMK leaders took place, says Jayakumar; blames 'vested interests'
Jayakumar recalled that EPS had himself dissuaded party functionaries and leaders from having talks about bringing back expelled members and instead asked them to focus on returning to power in the 2026 elections.
D Jayakumar (Screengrab)
CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar on Thursday categorically rejected rumours of talks between senior leaders and party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on taking back expelled functionaries VK Sasikala and O Panneerselvam.
The party cadres would never accept 'traitors' and allow them to return to the party fold, Jayakumar told mediapersons.
When asked by reporters about a team of senior leaders who reportedly called on EPS at his Salem residence and proposed the idea of taking back expelled party leaders, the AIADMK leader said, “Some vested interested forces have created an illusion that such a meeting took place."
"Someone did the screenplay, dialogue, and direction to create an illusion”, he claimed and wondered if the people and the party cadre would accept "those who betrayed the party like VK Sasikala, O Panneerselvam, or TTV Dhinakaran."
Jayakumar recalled that EPS had himself dissuaded party functionaries and leaders from having talks about bringing back expelled members and instead asked them to focus on returning to power in the 2026 elections.
Criticising Panneerselvam and his actions, the former minister said, "Unlike EPS or me, Panneerselvam was identified and brought into politics by Dhinakaran, hence, he was loyal to the AMMK leader. He had also resorted to violence and had broken into the party headquarters. He was rejected from the party. His voice and views have no value among the party cadres."
Except for the three members and a handful of their cohorts, the rest of the party cadres and functionaries fully stand with the party and no factions exist here, Jayakumar added.