Panneerselvam not insulted, claims Jayakumar

CHENNAI: AIADMK leader D Jayakumar, backing former Chief Minister and party joint coordinator K Palaniswami on the single leadership issue, on Saturday denied that party coordinator O Panneerselvam was treated disrespectfully at the general council meeting and said the latter’s decision has depressed the party cadres.

Also, he slammed the BJP calling it a “third party” which cannot interfere in the internal affairs of the AIADMK.

Sustaining the tempo for elevating Palaniswami as general secretary of the AIADMK and relegating Panneerselvam to the position of party treasurer, a post that he held when late chief minister J Jayalalithaa was the general secretary, Jayakumar claimed that none humiliated Panneerselvam at the June 23rd general council meeting here.

“The AIADMK has no intention to insult anyone, no ulterior motive whatsoever. Panneerselvam was not treated disrespectfully at the meeting,” Jayakumar alleged playing down the general council humiliating Panneerselvam by rejecting all the 23 resolutions proposed for the occasion.

The general council meeting turned chaotic and a water bottle was flung at Panneerselvam, as he stood firm on not allowing single leadership system in the party. He had to walk out of the meeting, accompanied by his supporters, when a majority of the members pursued the single agenda of anointing Palaniswami as party’s general secretary.

“However, if any discourteous incident had happened, then it is regrettable,” Jayakumar told the reporters here.

The general council could not transact any business for the day and the meeting had to be deferred.

Jayakumar hit out at Panneerselvam for not endorsing the majority sentiment in the party and alleged that he was the cause for the party members to become dejected. “He went against the party approaching the High Court and Election Commission of India instead of accepting the majority view in the party,” he said.

Responding to a question, Jayakumar said, “The BJP is a third party. It cannot interfere in the internal affairs of the AIADMK.”

He claimed that Palaniswami would definitely be made the party’s general secretary when the general council meets on July 11.