Addressing media persons after the loss in the RK Nagar bye-elections, the Edappadi Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam combine alleged that TTV Dhinakaran’s win was engineered by a joint conspiracy between his camp and the DMK.
The press conference came after a meeting of the AIADMK top brass at their party headquarters in Royapettah in Chennai.
Speaking first, the current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said of the bye-polls, “You know as well as I do how this victory was won. We know, the media knows. They won by fooling the people. This victory is the result of a conspiracy between DMK’s Working President Stalin and TTV Dhinakaran.”
Edappadi Palaniswami took issue with media persons who, when asking questions, referred to AIADMK’s loss at the bye-polls as a loss. Correcting their word usage, he said, “Don’t keep calling this a loss. This is not a loss. They (TTV Dhinakaran’s camp) have won this through tantric mayajaalam (mysterious deception).”
Explaining that the loss is for the DMK, he pointed out, “They contested in an alliance. And they ended up losing their deposit.”
When asked about his views on the video released a day before the elections showing former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in hospital, he said, “A true AIADMK party cadre will not do this. A true admirer of Amma will not do something like this. If they had loyalty, they would not have done this.” He also added that severe action would be taken against “all those who betray the party.”
On Sunday, after his victory, TTV Dhinakaran said that the ruling government would fall in three months. Responding to this, the CM said that there were such declarations before the budget as well but “ever since we took office in February, we have been delivering a grand vision of Amma’s governance.”
Speaking after him, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said that the elections had to be thoroughly investigated for electoral malpractice.
He said, “A thorough investigation of this election has to be done. We have complained to the Election Commission. You cannot come in or go out of the constituency 48 hours before elections. But they (Dhinakaran’s camp) have given Rs 20 notes for showing them (in exchange for) and getting Rs 10,000. We have asked the EC for a speedy investigation into this. The EC is the only one that can stop this malpractice.”
When asked if accusations that the AIADMK was giving Rs 6,000 according to ground reports were true, he said, “We reject the allegations. We condemn it.”
Attacking TTV and his ethics, OPS said he knew Dhinakaran better than the people and the media.
He said, “He (Dhinakaran) is a maayamaan (deceptive deer). You’ve read the Ramayana. Whatever happened there will happen here.”
OPS seems to have been referring to Ravana’s shape-shifting uncle Maricha who disguised himself as a deer to entice Sita. Sita wanted the deer so badly that she made her husband Rama go after it for her, only for her to be kidnapped by Ravana. It was not evident from OPS’ mythological analogy who the other characters were.
On the threat of possible defections that could take place from the AIADMK to TTV’s camp, he said, “People on our side are golden. As of today, has anyone gone there? Everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie.”
Throwing startling light on some personal conversations between the two, OPS said, “TTV used to tell me ‘you have not seen my other face. I am a big 420’.”
On VCK leader Thol Thirumavazhavan calling TTV Dhinakaran Jayalilathaa’s political heir, OPS said that both MGR and Jayalalithaa were against dynastic politics.
He said, “Their motive is that one family should not control Tamil Nadu politics. MGR and Amma have shown us a path and we will travel along that path. These people want one family to control the party. I don’t know why Thirumavazhavan called TTV Amma’s political heir. Hierarchical politics is over. MGR has been against it. Amma never gave any posts to her family. She always said I have no family, the people are my kith and kin.”
OPS, who had until Jayalalithaa’s death raised no doubts on the hospitalisation or the treatment being given to her, in February questioned the circumstances surrounding her death when he rebelled against jailed AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala.
At the press conference today, he said, “The people of Tamil Nadu have a doubt. That’s what I said. Amma made me Chief Minister twice. What big disease did she have? Why weren’t we allowed to see Amma? They said Amma might get an infection if we met her. So with that view, we just accepted what they said. As far as my knowledge goes, no minister met Amma.”
Elaborating his stance on the hospital video and its timing, OPS said, “Even after one year, why didn’t they release it? Nobody objected to the release of the video. (To TTV) Show it to the investigating committee. Prove that she was alright.”
On whether the ruling government will fall, he said, “I say with conviction, nobody can remove even a small brick (from our government).”
Reflecting on the loss, he said, “In politics, there are always ups and downs. When there are setbacks, we have been taught by MGR and Amma on how to deal with it.”
Parroting the EPS line, OPS also warned of strong action against those who betrayed the party. He added, “I have already said that this is a conspiracy between Stalin and TTV. They have worked in tandem to plot this conspiracy.”
Finally, OPS seemed visibly thrilled to answer a question about the 2G spectrum verdict acquitting DMK’s A Raja, Kanimozhi and all other accused of all charges. The verdict was delivered the same day that RK Nagar went to the polls.
He said, “The 2G case was brought to the world by Amma. Amma told the world about it. Who congratulated them (Raja and Kanimozhi) for their acquittal? TTV. What a big betrayal that is!”
TTV had said at the time that he was happy two people from his state were acquitted and had congratulated them.
The DMK has also announced its review meeting, scheduled for 29 December, Friday. In a statement on Monday, DMK General Secretary K. Anbazhagan said the party’s high-level strategy committee will meet at its headquarters. The meeting will be chaired by party leader MK Stalin.
(With IANS inputs)