CHENNAI: Expelled leader O Panneerselvam has been orphaned because he was indifferent towards senior leaders and cadres of the AIADMK, said former minister R B Udayakumar, who has replaced OPS as the deputy leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly.
Udayakumar said from the fact that an invitation was extended only to AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami to participate in the farewell event for the outgoing president Ram Nath Kovind, it was clear that the BJP-led government too approved of him as the interim general secretary of the party. On Sunday, Udayakumar met the AIADMK functionaries from Theni in Madurai, also the home district of OPS, and discussed preparations for the proposed state-wide demonstration on July 26 against the DMK government's decision to hike the power tariff. He said the protest in Theni should be so strong and big that it should openly showcase cadre support for EPS in the region.
