OPS to lead agitation against govt on Aug 10

While the AIADMK (PTA) has till date refrained from coming out openly against the ruling dispensation and all their comments were usually on merger issues or against ministers, the rebel faction is now upping the ante against the government by opting for a demonstration. 

Raising his pitch against the Edappadi K Palaniswami government, former chief minister and AIADMK (PTA) leader O Panneerselvam will be heading a demonstration in Chennai on August 10 to highlight the state government’s failure in providing drinking water to the public besides the failure in tackling increased incidence of dengue in the state, faction supporter and MP Dr V Maitreyan told DT Next on Friday. 

The proposed agitation comes in the wake of both OPS  and Maitreyan calling the EPS regime corrupt a few days ago. The statement came only after the I-T department freezed the assets of Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar recently. Stating that the venue would be either Valluvar Kottam or the Chepauk guest house, Maitreyan said police permission was awaited for either venue. 

The Chennai agitation would be the start of similar demonstrations at the district level, party sources revealed. Asked whether only water scarcity and incidence of  dengue would be highlighted, Maitreyan said other issues where the state government failed to keep the welfare of the people in mind would also be highlighted. “This could also include NEET and related issues,” he said. Former minister and MLA S Semmalai told the media that the agitation was meant to wake up the slumbering government. 

“The Health Minister is unable to concentrate on health problems like dengue as he has his own personal issues. There is no connection between the merger issue and the proposed agitation,” he said. The government failed miserably in getting exemption for the state from NEET, which affected rural students, he added. The faction has also called its functionaries to Chennai for urgent consultations on Saturday, sources revealed.