EPS rejects OPS’ 'invite' to join hands

CHENNAI: With AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam extending an olive branch to Edapadi K Palaniswami and asking for unity within the party, EPS faction has rejected the call outright.

"How can we accept it? He (Panneerselvam) did not attend the AIADMK's general council meeting and instead, he moved the court to stop it,” former chief minister Palaniswami said.

Alleging that Panneerselvam caused the violence at the party headquarters and damaged the properties, the AIADMK leader said: "Even several important party related documents were looted and if this was the case, how we can be united".

"If a responsible leader indulges in such activities, how could we cooperate with him,” he added.

In a hard-hitting statement, Palaniswami also alleged that "he (Panneerselvam) wants only postings. He has not worked for the party. He only wants his son to become MP and not cared about the people".

Alleging that the AIADMK lost the election due to Panneerselvam, Palaniswami alleged that the party coordinator have a "secret links" with DMK. "Even his son (P Ravindhranath) had met the chief minister Stalin,” he said adding that by seeing these activities, the cadres were losing confidence.

Palaniswami said if Panneerselvam wants to be united, he should be taken up his issues in the general council meeting where he could have proved that he got more supporters.

Claiming that almost all the general council members were against the dual leadership, the AIADMK leader said though several former ministers and senior leaders could not convince for a single leadership since he (Panneerselvam) was so adamant to reject it.

"I don't have any interest to get the posts in the party. It was the general council members, who elected me as the leader,” he said adding that as I came from the grassroots level, I always prefer to stand on my own legs.

On Panneerselvam's often claim that he was the loyalist to the later leader J Jayalalithaa, Palaniswami said in 1989, he (Panneerselvam) worked against Jayalalithaa during the elections.

With regard to his faction's future plan, Palaniswami said "The court verdict was not in our favour and therefore, we are going for an appeal to get justice.”