Sasikala calls O Panneerselvam a 'traitor', demands Tamil Nadu Governor to call her immediately

Chennai: AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala Natarajan on Monday hit out at acting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam for being 'ungrateful and power hungry', and said that a conspiracy is being hatched to split the ruling AIADMK. 

Addressing a gathering of supporters at her Poes Garden residence, Sasikala said, ''Some people are trying to divide the party but I won't let them succeed.''

Hitting out at O Panneerselvam, with whom she is currently locked in a bitter power struggle, Sasikala said, ''OPS had first asked me to take charge when Jayalalithaa passed away, but then I said I can't do that. So Panneerselvam was given the responsibility.''

However, he is so ungrateful that he who first proposed my name for the CM's post started opposing me when I agreed later, Sasikala said. 

Sasikala further stated that she is aware of the evil designs of 'traitors' like OPS and will not allow them to divide the party.

When Amma passed away, I came to know about the conspiracy to divide the party, she told her loyalists, adding that she is 'not scared of anyone.' 

''We have seen 1000 such 'Panneerselvams'. For the past 33 years, we both have seen everything. So I am not scared.'' Sasikala said.   

Sasikala, however, looked firm that she will eventually take charge as the Tamil Nadu chief minister. As far as I am concerned, we will take power, we will take oath, we will put Amma's photo in Assembly, Sasikala said. 

She later came out of her Poes Garden residence to meet hundreds of supporters gathered outside. People's support is with me, we will continue to make AIADMK strong, she told the gathering. 

Remarks from Sasikala came shortly after O Panneerselvam attended office as acting CM at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat this morning.

He had resigned on February 5, paving the way for former CM J Jayalalithaa's longtime confidante VK Sasikala to take over the reins of the government,

Meanwhile, Sasikala's party - the ruling AIADMK – today asserted that a majority of its MLAs are behind their general secretary and claimed the chances of Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao "inviting" her today were "high."

Party spokesperson Vaigai Chelvan said Chief Minister Panneerselvam had the support of seven MLAs and cannot therefore prove his majority in the state Assembly in the event of a floor test.

"He says he can prove his majority based on the wrong information given by someone. Majority of the AIADMK MLAs are with Chinnamma (Sasikala) and we are ready to prove our strength (in a floor test)," he told reporters here.

Sasikala was the elected Legislature Party leader of AIADMK and therefore the Governor should invite her to form government, he added.

"We expect the chances of his inviting (meeting) her today are high," he said.

To a question on 11 MPs switching over to the camp of Panneerselvam, Vaigai Chelvan expressed confidence that they would return to the Sasikala fold.

In growing support for Panneerselvam, six more AIADMK MPs had joined his camp yesterday, taking the number of Parliamentarians in his favour to 11.

Sasikala had yesterday vowed to protect the party nurtured by her long-time friend, late Jayalalithaa, saying "I will give my life for this cause".

Addressing the MLAs at the resort near here, which she visited for the second time in two days, Sasikala had said, "You 129 MLAs are like an ocean. None can contain it by building a check dam. No efforts will destabilise this government. None can hurt us and there is no need to fear."

She also dismissed allegations that they have been held "hostage" at the resort, saying the MLAs were staying at the resort of their own accord and that they were "free". 

With PTI inputs