Dhinakaran claims OPS met him last year to dislodge EPS govt
A day after disqualified AIADMK legislator and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) propaganda secretary Thanga Tamilselvan made the startling claim of meeting between O Panneerselvam who was heading a rebel faction of AIADMK and TTV Dhinakaran in July last year, Dhinakaran confirmed his meeting with Panneerselvam who apologised for the revolt against the then AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikaka.
Meanwhile, senior AIADMK leader and electricity minister R Thangamani denied any such meeting happened between Panneerselvam and Dhinakaran but it was the latter who wanted to merge his outfit with the AIADMK.
"Through a common friend, Panneerselvam expressed his desire to meet me. I reluctantly met him at the insistence of my party leaders with whom I had a discussion about it. When we meet at the friend's place, he told me that he had made a wrong decision (of rebelling against VK Sasikaka) and now he wanted to remove Edappadi K Palaniswami government. He also told me that he will consult with his supporters and MLAs and get back to me. But he went and joined hands with EPS," AMMK deputy general secretary Dhinakaran told reporters at his residence here.
Dhinakaran alleges that OPS is desperately trying to become CM again and for that reason, he is moving from pillar to post. "In September last week, OPS sent a message through a friend that he is ready to make me as CM and that OPS wants to meet me", he said, adding that he is revealing this now as OPS has been maintaining double standards. "I wanted to put an end to this double standard by OPS so I'm revealing it now," he said claiming that he has evidence to prove that the meeting took place.Earlier Panneerselvam told reporters that he would comment on Thanga Tamilselvan's remarks after seeing his full statement.
Minister Thangamani who is a supporter of Palaniswami alleged Dhinakaran tried to merge his party with AIADMK. "Since there is no signal from ruling party, TTV is now creating confusion," he told reporters at Namakkal.
AIADMK deputy coordinator KP Munusamy said that Dhinakaran was trying to create confusion among AIADMK cadre by unleashing canards like OPS had met him. While AIADMK's another deputy coordinator R Vaithilingam said Dhinakaran is adopting 'divide and rule' by alleging that OPS had met him. "TTV's tricks won't work as EPS and OPS are working together," he said.
The timing of Dhinakaran's revelation of his meeting with Panneerselvam comes at a time when the third judge of the Madras HC is expected to deliver his verdict on the 18 rebel AIADMK MLAs disqualification case. The verdict would help decide the fate of the Palaniswami government which survives with wafer thin majority in the House whose strength has been reduced to 214 from 234 members.
from Daily News & Analysis https://ift.tt/2E1xhbw
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