Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Monday ruled out reconciliation with AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Notwithstanding the recent electoral setbacks, he said the AMMK will become the force that would reclaim the sanctity of [AIADMK’s] two-leaves symbol.
Speaking at the party’s general body meeting in Vanagaram in Chennai, Mr. Dhinakaran said the AMMK would show its strength across Tamil Nadu in the forthcoming elections. “Today, 2,000 people may be controlling the party [AIADMK] and going away from Amma’s [Jayalalithaa] path. Once we win the elections, the AIADMK will automatically come to us. The AIADMK belongs to every supporter of Puratchi Thalaivar (M G Ramachandran) and Puratchi Thalaivi,” he said.
Asked whether he would have any truck with Mr. Palaniswami or deposed AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, who was the first to rebel against his aunt V.K. Sasikala and him, Mr. Dhinakaran was soft on the latter.
“OPS [Panneerselvam] has realised his mistakes. But EPS [Palaniswami] continues to betray the party again and again. He betrayed Chinnamma [Sasikala] after he became the CM. When 18 MLAs said he should not continue as CM, EPS betrayed them. Then, when OPS extended an olive branch for him to continue as CM, EPS betrayed him too. Today, EPS betrayed Amma by becoming the general secretary,” he said.
Mr. Dhinakaran said that he would think about joining hands with Mr Palaniswami only if he realised his mistakes. “But, I don’t think he will realise his mistakes and stop his betrayals. In future, they (EPS and his supporters) will face punishment for what they did,” he said.
AMMK’s strength
He claimed that the AIADMK won in the last Assembly elections only in specific regions like a ‘caste party’. “While AMMK didn’t win, it prevented AIADMK from winning (in many areas). I told our well-wishers [alluding to BJP leaders] from New Delhi…that EPS should not continue as CM candidate as it would be difficult to prevent DMK from coming back to power. I said we have very good candidates in 40-50 constituencies than AIADMK. I also said I didn’t want to contest in Assembly elections,” he said.
Mr. Dhinakaran criticised the ruling DMK for not keeping its election promises and charged that they were only focussed on pursuing their family business.
“We have to form an alliance with either the BJP or the Congress. There is a possibility that the State Government could be dismissed going by the deterioration in law and order in the State. State Assembly elections could be held along with Lok Sabha elections,” he said.
