Jayakumar says forever in MGR’s party, refuses to comment on tie-up revival

CHENNAI: After remaining incommunicado for nearly four days after BJP formalised its alliance with AIADMK, former minister D Jayakumar surfaced on Monday to categorically deny rumours that he is quitting the party following the revival of the tie-up with the saffron party.

The AIADMK senior leader said that malicious lies are being spread about him quitting the party. He, however, refused to comment on the BJP-AIADMK alliance, which was announced by Union Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Chennai three days ago.

“VCK leader Thiruma (Thol Thirumavalavan) made a statement that I would quit the AIADMK if the party formed an alliance with the BJP. I never said anything like that. It was a premeditated campaign based on a fake (news) card. It was unimaginable, and it has been trending on social media for the past four days,” Jayakumar told journalists after participating in Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary function in Chennai.

Though he expressed amusement that it kept social media abuzz for the past few days and benefitted YouTube channels, he made it clear that his family’s association with the Dravidian movement remains strong. “Neither I nor my family members have ever knocked on anyone’s door for a party position. I was identified by our leaders MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, and the party is my soul and breath. I will continue my political journey along the same path,” said the former minister.

He, however, declined to respond to questions regarding the AIADMK-BJP alliance for the Assembly polls.