Palaniswami hits out at Dhinakaran, says those who go behind him will be left in the lurch

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister KPalaniswami on Tuesday hit out at AMMK leader T T VDhinakaran, who has renewed his assertion of 'retrieving' theruling AIADMK post V K Sasikala's release, saying those who gobehind him will be ''left in the lurch.'' The AIADMK Joint Coordinator, addressing an electionrally here, cited the example of 18 disqualified AIADMK rebelMLAs who sided with Dhinakaran earlier, to drive home hispoint.

The MLAs loyal to Dhinakaran were disqualified when theyrebelled against Palaniswami in 2017 after he merged his ledfaction with that of his present deputy O Panneerselvam.

In his address, Palaniswami also lashed out at DMK,dubbing it a 'coprorate' company helmed by M K Stalin as its'chairman'.

Targeting Dhinakaran, Palaniswami said he was not evenan AIADMK member for 10 years, referring to his expulsion bylate chief minister and then party supremo J Jayalalithaa in2011, along with her confidante Sasikala, whom she laterreinstated, and others.

''He himself declared that he had joined the party (again)after Amma's (Jayalalithaa) death. He made so many efforts towrest control of the party after joining. He held 18 of ourMLAs under his control. Later he left them in the lurch,'' thechief minister charged.

Anybody believing Dhinakaran will be left in the lurch,Palaniswami said.

Efforts were on to see that there was a setback to AIADMKand enable DMK come to power, he alleged.

''The AIADMK will counter that too,'' he asserted.

Earlier in the day, Dhinakaran had said efforts to'retrieve' the ruling party will be on, especially in thewake of the return of his aunt and expelled AIADMK leaderSasikala from Bengaluru, after serving a four year jail termin the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.

Palaniswami said both AIADMK founder, late chiefminister M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa were always keenthat the ''evil force DMK'' should not come to power.

The ruling AIADMK will shatter all ''conspiracies'' andensure another term in the coming polls, likely in April-May,he said.

Taking on arch rival DMK, he slammed it over the issue ofthe release of the seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhiassassination case, recalling that the party government, underthe late M Karunanidhi, had recommended implementation of thecourt verdict (death penalty).

The cabinet had then recommended commuting the deathsentence of Nalini alone since she had a child, he said.

''If the recommendation had been implemented, the deathpenalty of all but Nalini would have been implemented,'' headded.

However, it was the late Jayalalithaa who brought anAssembly resolution, demanding the release of all sevenlater, he recalled and pointed out that his-led cabinet hadalso adopted a similar resolution, in 2018.

The DMK was now ''fooling the people'' by seeking therelease of all seven.

Insisting that DMK was not a party, Palaniswami said itwas a 'corporate company.' ''Stalin is the chairman and his family members--Udhayanidhi (son), Kanimozhi (sister) and Dayanidhi (Maran)are (in the) Board of Directors,'' he said and asked why seniorleader Durai Murugan, who hails from here, has not been givendue importance.

He wondered why Udhayanidhi Stalin was involved incampaigning whereas Durai Murugan was not, despite being along time MLA.

Training his guns on Stalin, Palaniswami said he had madehis way to the top because of his father Karunanidhi, butsaid, ''I came up through hard work.'' The chief minister also listed out the various pro-peopleinitiatives of his government.

Further, he announced that the birthday of popularspiritual orator Kirubananda Variyaar, who was born in thisdistrict, on August 25 every year, will be celebrated by thegovernment.