Everyone knows who indulged in political conspiracy and betrayed AIADMK after Jaya's demise, says OPS
Panneerselvam remarked that former Chief Minister C N Annadurai had made it clear that the state would follow a bilingual policy. However, he stated that he did not wish to delve into the politics surrounding the issue.
Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam
CHENNAI: Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Monday charged that the party has been witnessing political conspiracy and betrayal after the demise of the late supremo J Jayalalithaa, in an apparent rebuttal to remarks made by Edappadi Palaniswami over party unifications calls.
OPS said that everyone knows who was behind such conspiracies. The party has been facing electoral debacles, starting from local body polls to general elections, as well as Assembly and Parliamentary elections, because of such conspiracies and betrayals, he argued.
“Until Amma (Jayalalithaa) was alive, the party was vibrant. However, after her passing, the party is experiencing political conspiracy, treachery, and betrayal, leading to its electoral debacles. Everyone knows who was responsible for the party’s continuous defeat in these 11 elections. So, the person who insisted on single leadership is accountable for this and must answer that question,” Panneerselvam said in a veiled dig at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami, who had said that traitors have no place in the party.
Panneerselvam made the statements while responding to a question regarding whether the AIADMK is in its ‘fall season’ (ilaiyuthir kalam) in the political landscape of the State. “For certain reasons, I am refraining from naming those responsible for the current state of the party,” he said after paying floral tribute to former CM Jayalalithaa’s statue in Chennai to mark her 77th birth anniversary.
He added that the party cadre, all of them, want unification and revival. Yet, certain forces are preventing that. On the Centre’s attempt to enforce the NEP and three-language policy, Panneerselvam remarked that former Chief Minister C N Annadurai had made it clear that the State would follow a bilingual policy. However, he stated that he did not wish to delve into the politics surrounding the issue.
“It is our duty to protect our mother tongue, Tamil,” he said, emphasising that the State would not deviate from a two-language policy. “However, there are no restrictions on learning any language of one’s choice.” On the Centre’s refusal to release funds to the State under the SSA scheme, he pointed out that it was tax paid by the people, and they should benefit from it.
