CHENNAI: Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Wednesday insisted that all credit for the Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme belongs to former CM Jayalalithaa, stating that no one else could claim credit for it.
Panneerselvam’s remarks, outlining the scheme’s background, followed a controversy sparked by senior AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan, who boycotted the felicitation event for AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday at Coimbatore.
Sengottaiyan justified his decision to abstain from the programme, citing the absence of portraits of former CMs M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa in the event’s posters.
In the wake of Sengottaiyan’s criticism, Panneerselvam sought to dispel claims that his friend-turned-political rival played a key role in the scheme’s implementation.
“It was under the leadership of J Jayalalithaa that the scheme was set in motion to benefit Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Erode districts. No one else should claim credit for it,” said Panneerselvam.
He added that Jayalalithaa had presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 7, 2015, requesting Rs 1,862 crore for the scheme. The scheme was mentioned in the interim budget for 2016-2017, and on February 18, 2016, the AIADMK government sanctioned Rs 3.27 crore for it.
Jayalalithaa had promised to implement the scheme during the 2016 election campaign, which saw the AIADMK's victory.
“Though she is no longer with us, the credit for this project remains with the late leader. No one but her should take credit,” Panneerselvam said, rejecting claims from Palaniswami’s supporters.