‘Ready to appear before Jaya death panel anytime’

The AIADMK coordinator said he was earlier summoned by the one-man enquiry commission to appear before it on January 23.

However, he could not appear on that date due to the Global Investors’ Meet scheduled then and that he had informed the same in writing, he told reporters here.

“I had informed (the panel) that I would appear later on a date mentioned by the commission,” he said, responding to questions on the matter. However, the commission had later adjourned the proceedings, he said.

“Whenever the commission summons me, I will (appear before it and) explain the truth and my stand. The truth will be known then,” he said.

Following Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, suspicion on the circumstances leading to her demise was raised by several people, including Panneerselvam and his followers.

Panneerselvam who had turned a rebel leader after the death of Jayalalithaa had demanded either a judicial inquiry or a CBI probe into her death.

A staunch loyalist of Jayalalithaa, he took over as Chief Minister immediately after her demise, but soon after resigned and later accused the late leader’s close aide V K Sasikala of bringing pressure on him to quit.

The demand for probe was a key precondition put forth by the erstwhile Panneerselvam-led faction for merger with the group led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

After the unification of the factions in August 2017, the government notified constitution of the commission headed by retired Madras High Court judge A Arumughaswamy.

So far, it has examined a number of people, including Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar and representatives of Apollo Hospital, where Jayalalithaa was treated.

Following criticism over his son seeking a party ticket to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Wednesday asserted that anyone with qualification and talent can enter politics.

Panneerselvam was responding to AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran reportedly criticising him after it emerged that his son Ravindranath was a ticket aspirant for the elections.

Speaking to reporters here, he said all primary members of the AIADMK have a right to contest the polls.

“Myself and party joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami had earlier issued a statement saying those who want to fight the polls on behalf of the AIADMK can apply. On that basis, he (Ravindranath) also submitted an application,” Panneerselvam said.

Dhinakaran on Tuesday had taken a swipe at his rival Panneerselvam for earlier insisting there should be no family politics in the AIADMK, saying there seemed to be different yardsticks for the Deputy Chief Minister and others.

In response, Panneerselvam on  Wednesday said he had always insisted that the party and the government should not go into the hands of the family of V K Sasikala, the jailed confidante of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

“The family that was sacked by Amma had tried to usurp the party and government (after Jayalalithaa’s death) and under those cirucmstances did I start my Dharmayudh,” Panneerselvam, who was Chief Minister then, said about his struggle against Sasikala and her family members.

“I had referred only to that family, but otherwise anyone with qualification and talent can enter politics. They can remain in politics (only) if people accept them,” he said.