The war of words between the AIADMK groups, led by coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami, continued on Friday.
The Panneerselvam camp fielded Theni district secretary and former MP S.P.M. Syed Khan to rebut the charges levelled by Mr. Palaniswami against Mr. Panneerselvam.
Accusing the co-coordinator of being responsible for the present state of affairs in the party, Mr. Khan said that during the Assembly election last year, Mr. Palaniswami was focussed only on the party candidates in the western region and “neglected” those fielded elsewhere, leading to their defeat.
By “not agreeing” to the idea of working together with the Panneerselvam camp, the co-coordinator would only be “strengthening” the hands of the DMK, he said, referring to Mr. Palaniswami’s charge that Mr. Panneerselvam had a “tacit tie-up” with the ruling party.
On the criticism that the coordinator was “hankering after power”, Mr. Khan said that while Mr. Panneerselvam in February 2017 “promptly” quit the post [of Chief Minister and later rebelled], it was the co-coordinator who “did everything” to keep himself in power in the next four and odd years.
The AIADMK’s Amma Peravai State secretary, R.B. Udhayakumar, a supporter of Mr. Palaniswami, said there was “no split” in the party. Those who were in the “non-cooperation movement” had been given “send-off”. He said that after the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Mr. Panneerselvam had “frequently shifted” his political line, whereas Mr. Palaniswami was steadfast in his stand.
Mr. Udhayakumar expressed the hope that hereafter, the party would get “rejuvenated and function in a constructive way.”
