Rajan Chellappa slams OPS, terms him incapable to lead party

MADURAI: VV Rajan Chellappa, AIADMK MLA from Tiruparankundram on Monday said, AIADMK senior leader and former chief minister O Panneerselvam is inefficient and incapable of administering the party and it was time to keep himself away from the party before being shown the door. Edappadi K Palaniswami, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, has gained the support of almost 95 per cent of cadre, leaders and various representatives of the AIADMK.

The cadre are desirous of a strong leader for AIADMK and they have unanimously decided to announce EPS as the general secretary during the party’s general council meeting scheduled on July 11, Chellappa told reporters in Madurai.

For a longtime, OPS was sidelined by the late J Jayalalithaa, former chief minister and AIADMK supremo and there really is no conspiracy against OPS as claimed by himself. The AIADMK is a party determined not to be cowed down and loves freedom, he said.

“We are concerned about OPS, but at the same time committed to pointing him out when he makes a wrong decision. OPS could have avoided the humiliation that he felt during AIADMK’s general body meeting at Chennai,” he said.

Terming OPS as selfish, Chellappa said Panneerselvam despite his prominent position in the AIADMK, did not even campaign to drum up votes for his party candidates ahead of the Assembly elections. But, he’s there in the party only for his personal gains. OPS was the cause behind the party’s poll debacle in 2021 in the state.

Further taking a dig at OPS, he said Panneerselvam had no significant influence in the party. The southern region remains AIADMK bastion, but OPS is just creating the illusion that he has influence in the southern districts.

One who feels comfortable giving praise and recognition to the ruling DMK is not poised to take leadership of the AIADMK. Though OPS held ministerial portfolios thrice during the party regime, he did not bring up any development scheme for the southern districts, Chellappa added.