In an attempt to end speculations of his possibly joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam has vehemently denied the reports and has called it an effort to hurt him and his political life.
The clarificatory statement comes after speculations were rife that Panneerselvam was joining the BJP since the leader and his son OP Raveendranath Kumar were seen in Varanasi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the latter was filing his nominations for the upcoming polls.
In his statement on Wednesday, O Panneerselvam described his journey in the AIADMK which involved his progress from being the Chairman of the Periyakulam Municipality to holding the portfolios of Revenue, Public Works Department, Finance in Tamil Nadu to being the Chief Minister thrice and also the Treasurer of the AIADMK for 12 years.
“Some sections of agenda-driven media are trying to spread rumours that I am leaving the movement started by Puratchi Thalaivar and has given a common man from Periyakulam, many badges of honour to join the BJP,” read the statement. He also added that no amount of gratitude from him or his family or his future generations will suffice for the opportunities given to him by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Explaining the friendship that Jayalalithaa and Narendra Modi had in the past, Panneerselvam said that the two leaders had attended each other’s swearing-in ceremony and that Jayalalithaa had also supported many decisions brought in by the BJP in the past.
“We respect Narendra Modi, a leader who was respected by our leader Jayalalithaa is to show that we follow her footsteps and also to decide if it supports the political future of the AIADMK, after getting feedback from our cadres,” read the statement.
Adding that the main reasons for the friendship with BJP is AIADMK’s concurrence to ideas of patriotism and belief in God, Panneerselvam said that the reason for such rumours of him joining the BJP was being spread by those who fear the huge victory which the BJP-AIADMK alliance will be posting post elections. “I am pained by these rumours spread with the aim of tarnishing me and my political journey,” he wrote.
This is however not the first time that the speculation of Paneerselvam joining BJP is doing the rounds in Tamil Nadu. When he had chosen to distance himself away from AIADMK lead by Sasikala and she in turn had chosen Edapadi Palainiswamy as the man who would become Chief Minister, there had been talks between Paneerselvam and the BJP. However, many of his advisors, especially leaders who had left the AIADMK to join him were against such a move.
“I live with an aim to make AIADMK an inevitable part in the country’s politics and consider it an honour to be draped with the flag of AIADMK when I die. I am pained by the way media houses, which had played a major role in gaining India’s independence, have forgotten their neutrality and are now siding with someone else, spreading lies about me,” he added.
Assuring that those who toil to spread rumours against him will be served in the manner they deserve by the people and God, Panneerselvam expressed confidence that neither the cadres nor the people of Tamil Nadu will fall for the baseless allegations.