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All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami made it clear on September 15 that there was no scope for the return of expelled leaders including former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder-president TTV Dhinakaran and late CM J Jayalalithaa’s aide VK Sasikala.
Speaking at an event in Chennai to mark the birth anniversary of former CM CN Annadurai, EPS rejected senior leader KA Sengottaiyan’s demand that expelled party leaders be reinducted into the AIADMK.
Without naming OPS or Dhinakaran directly, EPS asked party cadre how he could allow back leaders whose supporters attacked the AIADMK headquarters in 2022, or those who in 2017 took away 18 MLAs in an attempt to topple the government.
“All this after we forgave one leader and even made him Deputy Chief Minister,” EPS said, referring to OPS. “But they did not change their ways. They damaged our party office, which is like a temple for the cadre. How can we bring them back?” EPS added.
Referring to Dhinakaran, EPS said, “How will the cadre accept someone who tried to bring down Amma’s government by abducting MLAs?”
He added, "Some people within the AIADMK were being used as 'stooges' to push for the return of those who had betrayed the party. We have identified such stooges and will take a decision on them soon.”
EPS, who was scheduled to travel to New Delhi on September 16, dismissed media reports that he had postponed his Dharmapuri campaign to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah over internal party matters. He said the trip was to greet Vice President CP Radhakrishnan.
“Self-respect is more important than power for us. I will never compromise on that,” he said, adding that he could not be intimidated or coerced.
EPS also expressed gratitude to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) Union government. “After Amma’s demise, there were several attempts to swallow the AIADMK and topple our government. It was the BJP that helped us overcome those challenges. Even after we lost power, the Union government has not troubled us. In fact, they have given us funds for our projects,” he said.