CHENNAI: If former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam really wants AIADMK to emerge as a stronger force, he should "remain silent" for six months and refrain from approaching courts on intra party issues, V V Rajan Chellappa, a senior leader of AIADMK, said.
The Thiruparankundram legislator Chellappa, who is one of the organising secretaries of the party, said that Panneerselvam should not cause any hindrance to the AIADMK. "Only then, we will talk to our general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and take steps for his reunion. He has been continuously causing various hindrances to the AIADMK by filing lawsuits and talking about party's unity," he said.
O Panneerselvam, who became 'co-ordinator' of the party constituting 'dual leadership' along with Edappadi Palaniswamy after the demise of party General Secretary J.Jayalalithaa, was expelled from the party in 2022 when he opposed move to make Palaniswamy a unitary leader.
Recently, Panneerselvam said that he was willing to return to the AIADMK, but insisted that the all-powerful general secretary post in the party be elected by cadres.
Reacting to this, Chellappa criticised Panneerselvam's approach and said "two-sided personality" would not augur well for the merger. "It is not good for senior leaders to act like this," he expressed.
Speaking to reporters in Madurai, Chellappa said the AIADMK has a bright future in 2026. The party had not registered a victory when it was under dual leadership (of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam). "But now, under single leadership, we have started our journey to reach new heights and win the 2026 assembly elections," he said.
Earlier, party's deputy general secretary KP Munusamy too slammed Panneerselvam terming his call to unite the party as "double speak". He said "what would you accept when a two-faced person talks about party unity and at the same time goes to the court challenging the party? His intention is clear. He is not pitching for a strong party." Panneerselvam, who now heads the 'AIADMK Workers' Rights' Retrieval Committee', had told reporters in Theni that all the AIADMK factions should unite and strive for the common cause.
Following his expulsion, Palaniswami had ruled out any scope to take him back into the party.