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O Panneerselvam denies TTV Dhinakaran's charge

TTV's close aide and one of the disqualified MLAs Thanga Tamilselvan had made a similar claim during a TV debate on Thursday.

Chennai: The rising temperature in the post-Jayalalithaa AIADMK hit a crescendo on Friday with TTV Dhinakaran claiming that Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam sought his help to topple the government and the latter striking back calling TTV “a liar” and a “betrayer of Amma.”

TTV told reporters at his Adyar house in the morning that OPS had met him on July 12 last year to express regret for rebelling against Chinnamma Sasikala and offered to make him (TTV) the CM after unseating Edappadi K Palaniswami, but he turned down the offer. Again, OPS sent a message through a common friend last month seeking a meeting for the same purpose. This time too, he said 'no', claimed TTV, setting off a fresh debate in the media and political corridors about the rickety relations between the CM and the Deputy CM.

TTV's close aide and one of the disqualified MLAs Thanga Tamilselvan had made a similar claim during a TV debate on Thursday. OPS called for a press conference at his residence in the evening to flatly deny TTV's charge of the topple-EPS plot and said he had been the CM thrice, thanks to the trust reposed in him by Amma (Jayalalithaa) and did not nurse further Chief Ministerial ambitions. It was true that he had met TTV in July last year - shortly before his faction's merger with the AIADMK-- but that was only with the hope that TTV would have turned a 'reformed' person.

“But from what he spoke today, it seems he is only keen in capturing the party and the government…At no point can they (Sasikala family) succeed because people do not support them”, OPS said.

Also, that July meeting had taken place following a request from TTV sent through a common friend. “That common friend has expressed regret today over the matter”, said OPS while denying he had made any request for a meeting last month. He also charged TTV with slipping to new lows in political culture by making false claims “out of frustration”, only with the intent to cause confusion in the AIADMK at a time when the party stood strong and united.

Recalling that Jayalalithaa had banished TTV from the party and never revoked that ban until her demise, OPS said on the other hand, she never wavered from her trust in him (OPS) which was why she made him the CM thrice. Even now, he was not hankering after power and even at the merger talks, had only sought a cabinet berth for his supporter Mafoi Pandiarajan but the EPS group wanted him as well in the government, OPS said.

TTV got yet another bolt from the ruling dispensation with electricity minister P Thangamani claiming he made an offer just a month ago to merge his AMMK with the AIADMK and let Edappadi Palaniswami continue as CM.

“But we firmly turned down his offer because we have been consistently opposing him all along”, said Thangamani.

“They (TTV camp) have been trying to topple the government for the last one year but got nowhere as we are strong and united. That’s why he (TTV) is making such charges now to create confusion. But the big secret is, a month back there was a request from Dhinakaran for merging his outfit with the AIADMK and we said ‘no’”, the minister told reporters.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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