AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday launched a sharp attack on former chief minister O. Panneerselvam, alleging that he had betrayed the government formed under J. Jayalalithaa’s leadership.
Campaigning at Theradi in Kanchipuram in support of AIADMK candidate Somasundaram, Palaniswami said Kanchipuram remained an AIADMK stronghold. He claimed the DMK had drifted from the ideals with which C.N. Annadurai founded the party, and alleged it had become dominated by a family and functioned like a “corporate company”.
Referring to the period after Jayalalithaa’s death, Palaniswami said he had to prove a majority in the Assembly and alleged that a person who was with the party voted against it and sided with opponents. He further claimed that the same leader continued to conspire against the AIADMK and acted as a “B team” for the DMK during the 2021 Assembly election.
Palaniswami alleged that despite being given senior roles in the AIADMK, Panneerselvam later joined what he called the “evil force” of the DMK, and said he should feel ashamed of it. He also warned DMK leaders to maintain civility in campaigning, and cited past remarks by M. Karunanidhi praising Narendra Modi to counter criticism from Udhayanidhi Stalin.
