O Panneerselvam, Deepa camps make it a big day

Sapling plantation drive, health camps and distribution of welfare schemes marked the occasion by the government and party, while Deepa launched her political outfit on Friday.  

Free food was provided to all at the AIADMK party office. School Education Minister and party presidium chairman KA Sengottaiyan led the cadre in paying tributes to the portrait of late Jayalalithaa. 

A special souvenir was released on the occasion by party treasurer Dindigul Srinivasan. Meanwhile, the Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar arranged for a five-day medical camp at the AIADMK headquarters from Friday. 

Free medicine would also be provided at the camp which would end on February 28, a release said. Finance and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar inaugurated a photo exhibition highlighting the achievements of the government, prominently featuring late Jayalalithaa’s tenure on the occasion. 

Claiming their group to be the real AIADMK, former chief minister O Panneerselvam told the media at RK Nagar, “If the present rulers had any love for Jayalalithaa or cared about her legacy then they should seek a judicial enquiry into her death and it should be overseen by the Centre to avoid any doubts.” 

Asked about Jayalalithaa’s nephew Deepak expressing willingness to accept OPS’ leadership, he said, “He was only speaking what was in his heart.” On Deepa floating her own outfit, he said “We are ready to welcome her into the fold any time.” 

Asked about party deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran saying that all AIADMK workers were welcome back, Panneerselvam said VK Sasikala and her group were ousted by Jayalalithaa in 2011 with Sasikala alone being taken back. 

Thus, a person who was not a member could not be a general secretary and decisions taken by the person including removal and appointment of people into the party were invalid. Hence, how could TTV Dinakaran invite us back, he queried.  

Inaugurating the office of her fledgling political outfit in front of her T Nagar residence on Friday, Deepa Jayakumar, late Jayalalithaa’s niece, said “We shall soon retrieve the two leaves symbol.” Calling on her supporters to be ready, she said that her political foray would start from ‘today’. 

After the inauguration which included an inter-religious prayer, she went and paid her respects at Jayalalithaa’s memorial on the Marina and then visited a disadvantaged people’s home at Maduravoyal where she distributed sweets to the inmates. 

Later, talking to the media she said people should always remember that Sasikala’s family had been sent out by Jayalalithaa. Thus, TTV Dinakaran and Edappadi K Palanisamy were both unfit for the positions they currently hold.

Asked about her brother Deepak stating that Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence belonged to both, she said she was not interested in it adding that all she wanted was only the pen that Jayalalithaa used. “My only aim is to work for the people,” she said.

While the AIADMK office bearers celebrated the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a simple way by paying respects to the portraits of the late leader in their offices and distributing sweets among the cadre, the celebration by OPS and Deepa camps were emotional and sentimental with a series of programmes.

The celebration became the talk of the town across the district and even the general public too anxiously watched the activities of these camps owing to the present political scenario. However, as expected the AIADMK district-level office-bearers abstained from celebrations and there were not much posters hailing the late leader like it used to be in the past. 

On the other hand, posters put up by the Deepa Peravai and the supporters of OPS were more in numbers in different parts of the district.  Surprisingly, celebrations by the AIADMK local units were low key and mostly indoors. 

While in Manachanallur, former minister TP Poonachi, a staunch supporter of Panneerselvam, organised a rally in the town and distributed welfare measures to the poor. They also arranged annadhanam (mass feeding) to mark the birth anniversary of their late leader. 

Poonachi said that he would erect a life-size statue for Jayalalithaa before her next birth anniversary. Meanwhile, the supporters of Deepa went on a different note by performing series of pujas in memory of ‘Puratchi Thalaivi.’ They also ate ‘mann soru’ (taking food by spreading it on the floor) as a form of penance in respect of Jaya. They also offered special abishekam at Samayapuram Mariamman temple.

During a hunger strike organised by Puthiya Tamilagam on Friday against the state, the party founder president K Krishnasamy demanded fresh election in the state. He said that the public voted for late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and they were miffed with the present government formed through the backdoor. He also suggested temporary suspension of the government for at least six months.

Stating that a section of miscreants has been spreading rumours about him on social media, actor turned politician and Thiruvadanai MLA Karunas requested people to not believe in them. When he visited the constituency on Friday they were mixed responses. He garlanded the picture of former CM J Jayalalithaa at RS Mangalam. He joined a few women removing seemai karuvelam trees there.