No DMK role in Panneerselvam revolt: MK Stalin

Chennai: Rejecting allegations by AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala that the DMK is behind the revolt of chief minister O. Panneerselvam, Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin on Wednesday asked the AIADMK leader to answer Mr Panneerselvam’s charges instead of blaming the DMK.

In his first counter to Ms Sasikala, the DMK working president alleged that she is diverting the issue of charges made by Mr Panneerselvam that he was forced to resign. As governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao had accepted the resignation, the administration in the state had been disrupted.

He also urged the governor to return to Tamil Nadu immediately and camp in the state to take steps for the formation of a stable government and enforce the Constitution. He also wanted the governor to order a CBI probe into the charges of the chief minister that he was threatened. Action should be taken against all the persons who conspired to topple a stable government, he said and added that the entire government machinery had been disrupted.

Ridiculing Ms Sasikala’s charges that Mr Panneerselvam smiled at him, Mr Stalin said it was a futile argument. Mr Stalin said he had greeted former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in the Assembly and she had reciprocated the gesture. He added that Sasikala should understand Tamil Nadu politics first to know that the DMK is not connected with the ongoing activities in the AIADMK. He also said Sasikala is trying to escape from the ire of AIADMK cadre after Mr Panneerselvam revealed that he was threatened to resign the chief minister’s post.

He asserted that DMK is behaving like a constructive opposition in the Assembly and a civilised party outside. Recalling that the DMK visited the Apollo Hospital to enquire about Jayalalithaa’s health and paid homage to the departed leader, besides consoling Panneerselvam. The same civility was showed by the DMK in the Assembly and outside, he asserted.