Sasikala has nothing to do with AIADMK: EPS
‘Ammaiyar’ Sasikala is not a member of the AIADMK and her efforts to confuse the party cadre will not materialise, former chief minister and AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami told reporters here on Friday.
The Leader of the Opposition, who held a coronavirus consultation meeting with party Chennai district secretaries, said that the leaked audio of Sasikala had nothing to do with the AIADMK. Sasikala had spoken to her supporters in AMMK and none of the AIADMK member is in touch with the ousted leader, Palaniswami, who was once a die-hard supporter of Sasikala, said.
Only select media is reporting that Sasikala is speaking to AIADMK functionaries, but where is the proof, he asked. To a query whether he was having any rift with AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam, Palaniswami said that there is no dispute or any issue with party coordinator OPS. “OPS was not able to attend the district secretaries meeting as he had a housewarming ceremony to attend,” he said.
Commenting about the coronavirus control measures taken up by the DMK government, EPS said that the state was not doing enough to curtail the spread of the virus. All these COVID testing labs were opened or permitted during the last year AIADMK regime, but now the cases had increased by four times, but the lab numbers remain the same. The public is forced to wait for three days to get their reports, and this should be addressed. He also said that the government was doing little to reduce COVID deaths.
Former AIADMK minister B Valarmathi, D Jayakumar and AIADMK district secretaries arrived at the party headquarters for the meeting called by AIADMK joint coordinator Palaniswami.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK, which announced EPS as the Leader of the Opposition, is yet to announce the Deputy Leader of Opposition and party whip in the TN Assembly. AIADMK joint coordinators R Vaithilingam and KP Munusamy names are making rounds for the Deputy Opposition Leader post in the Assembly.