AIADMK assures action against Panneerselvam

CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Monday assured steps to ease rival leader and treasurer O Panneerselvam (OPS) out of the party, after its General Council members demanded action to expel him from the organisation.

In his address to the GC meeting, senior leader Natham Viswanathan tore into Panneerselvam alleging he had a 'brutal face' completely opposite to his reputation as a 'calm person.' Viswanathan, a former Minister said Panneerselvam always said one thing and acted completely against it. Quoting the 19th Century reformist saint Vallalar's verses, he said there should be no links whatsoever with Panneerselvam as he always hid within him what he wanted and spoke an entirely different thing to the outside world. At this point, the general council members shouted against Panneerselvam and demanded action against him. While Viswanathan tried to pacify them assuring action, senior leader K P Munusamy took the mic from him. Munusamy said: ''You are members of the General Council. You demand that he (OPS) should be expelled from the party. You represent 1.5 crore party members. The representation you have made here will be reflected in a resolution and it will be moved by our (Interim) General Secretary. Please wait till then.'' AIADMK veteran and former Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan dubbed OPS as a 'betrayer' and demanded the ouster of Panneerselvam and his supporters from the party. The GC meet had earlier picked Edappady K Palaniswami as the AIADMK's interim general secretary.