AIADMK Leadership Row: EPS Rejects Truce Offer, Alleges OPS Was Behind Party HQ Attack

Edappadi Palaniswami also flayed his rival O Panneerselvam for seeking "posts without efforts".

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on Thursday ruled out any association with AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) and even blamed OPS for the party's defeat in the 2021 Assembly polls. The statement of EPS came after OPS extended an olive branch to his rival, "dear brother" and called to run the party jointly by saying "let bygones be bygones".

On Thursday, Palaniswami rejected Panneerselvam's call for joining hands and listed out a series of reasons, including alleging OPS was behind the attack on the party headquarters here last month. He flayed his rival for seeking "posts without efforts".

Palaniswami also moved the Madras High Court against a single judge order on Wednesday which declared as not valid the AIADMK General Council resolutions of July 11, which among others, 'expelled' Panneerselvam and picked EPS as the party's interim general secretary.

Further, hitting out at Panneerselvam for inviting Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, Palaniswami said his rival often gave such invitations. "Against whom did he undertake Dharmayudham. He is now inviting them all. He wants posts, can't live without it. He does not struggle for them, but wants post for himself and his family," the former CM told reporters.

He slammed Panneerselvam's son and Lok Sabha MP P Ravindranath for "praising" the MK Stalin-led DMK government, after meeting the CM recently and claimed that this had "demoralised" the party's rank and file. The AIADMK was founded by the late MGR against the DMK, he pointed out.

"How can we join. Should he (OPS) not have come to the General Council. He went to the party office with rowdies and attacked it, broke open the doors, damaged comps and stole key documents. How can we work with such a person who employs rowdies and goondas, despite being in the leadership role. Party workers were attacked. How can I work with him?" Palaniswami asked.

Claiming that he was not behind posts, Palaniswami said the single leadership chorus and the party projecting him as the CM face in the 2021 polls were due to the supporters' desire and that he was not behind posts.

EPS addressed Panneerselvam repeatedly as "elder brother."

He further questioned OPS' assertion of being a Jayalalithaa loyalist, insisting that Panneerselvam was the chief agent to her rival candidate in the 1989 Bodinayakkanur Assembly poll, whereas he has always been her supporter.

"How can he be a loyalist of Amma? We have been with Amma always. He will do anything for power," EPS charged.