CHENNAI: Sharpening his attack against AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for declaring that there is no scope for re-entry of the expelled functionaries of the party, AIADMK Workers' Rights Retrieval Committee coordinator O Panneerselvam said that the electoral debacles of EPS-led party clearly indicates that the people of the State were not ready to accept his leadership.

Panneerselvam claimed EPS has betrayed those who helped and supported him to become the CM.

"The people of the state are not willing to believe a traitor like him (Palaniswami). He backstabbed those who recommended him to the CM post. His disloyalty led to the erosion of the party's vote bank. He is the sole reason for the erosion in vote bank from 45% to 20% of the party built by Amma (Jayalalithaa)," Panneerselvam said in a statement. This comes as a response to Palaniswami’s remarks on the expelled leaders on the 53rd Foundation Day celebration at party headquarters on Thursday. The AIADMK general secretary made it clear that there was no scope for the re-entry of expelled functionaries and downright told the media persons not to repeat the question on 'reunion'.

Emphasising the importance of the reunion of the party to revive its lost glory and vigour, Panneerselvam said, "If the party comes together, a well-cultured person should head the party."

Panneerselvam appealed to the party cadre and functionaries to come together to live up to the words of late leader Jayalalithaa that 'the party will continue to serve the people of Tamil Nadu even centuries after her lifetime.'