Tamil Nadu: ‘Pathu Tholvi’ EPS epitome of falsehood, hits back OPS
Palaniswami betrayed everyone, including those who recommended him to the CMs post, who anointed him as the CM and who supported his regime to survive, he said and continued that unlike Palaniswami, he did not crawl for power and position.
Edappadi K Palaniswami; O Panneerselvam
CHENNAI: Rebutting AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for calling him a “traitor,” expelled AIADMK leader O Panneeselvam unleashed a scathing attack on Palaniswami by calling him as an epitome of falsehood that is leading the party to disaster.
Panneerselvam, in a strongly worded statement, said that Palaniswami is a single entity that stands for betrayal, falsehood, ungratefulness and violence. “He has no moral rights to call me a traitor. The people of the state are well aware about my loyalty to late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, who herself had appreciated me for the same. So, ‘Pathu Tholvi’ Palaniswami has no rights to talk about me and my loyalty,” said Panneerselvam in his seven-page statement that he posted in his social media handle X.
Palaniswami betrayed everyone, including those who recommended him to the CM post, who anointed him as the CM and who supported his regime to survive, he said and continued that unlike Palaniswami, he did not crawl for power and position.
Equating Palaniswami to Nazi Joseph Goebbel, who was Hilter’s minister for enlightenment and propaganda, Panneerselvam said, “He is trying to do Goebbel’s act by repeating that I was the chief booth agent for the candidate pitched against Jayalalithaa. I have already made it clear that it was untrue and dared him to prove his claims with evidence, but Palaniswami continued the same to spread the baseless accusation.”
Recalling the merger of two factions -OPS and EPS - in 2017, Panneerselvam said that it was Palaniswami, who initiated talks and sent senior leaders SP Velumani and P Thangamani to patch up to save the regime under his leadership. For the welfare of the party, he had agreed for it. But, Palaniswami, who was a power monger, continued his selfish acts. He reiterated that Palaniswami hijacked the party by unleashing his money power in June 2022. The party’s voting percentage has been declining under his leadership. It lost nearly 8 per cent vote share in the Lok Sabha poll.
“This is the first time in the history of the party it lost deposits in seven seats, the party relegated to third position in 12 seats and fourth position in one constituency. It secured only 5,267 votes in Vilavancode bypoll,” he said and continued that the party had lost at least 30 lakh votes in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“The cadre and public are unwilling to see Palaniswami holding the AIADMK’s general secretary post. To strengthen the party, Pathu Tholvi Palaniswami should step down from the position,” he said.
