OPS in cahoots with DMK, alleges Sasikala, sacks him from party post

Dindigul Srinivasan has been appointed as the new treasurer of the party replacing Panneerselvam.

Countering Panneerselvam's allegations, AIADMK's General Secretary Sasikala Natarajan said that she never pressurised him as claimed.

In a first, Sasikala addressed the press impromptu after the emergency MLAs meet that was called for at Poes Garden residence.

"All MLAs are together like one family and there is no problem within the party. Whatever Panneerselvam said isn't right and I have never pressurised him," said Sasikala Natarajan.

She blamed the DMK for the prevailing situation and accused Panneerselvam of cosying up to M K Stalin during the assembly session.

"This is a conspiracy and DMK is behind it. He is acting according to someone else's will," she said. Sasikala answered in the positive when asked if Panneerselvam would be sacked from the party.

The AIADMK leaders will meet yet again on Wednesday to take final call on the action that they will initiate against Panneerselvam, the 'traitor'.

Earlier, Sasikala Natarajan sacked Panneerselvam from the post of party treasurer. The decision was taken in the emergency midnight meet of AIADMK MLAs at Poes Garden. The move is indicative of more action that is likely to be taken by the party against Panneerselvam.

Dindigul Srinivasan has been appointed as the new treasurer of the party replacing Panneerselvam. The meeting that was called soon after Panneerselvam's revelations went on well beyond midnight.

The AIADMK members were quick to call Panneerselvam a traitor for making his grievances public. Deputy speaker Tambidurai who spoke to the media after the meeting at Poes Garden said that Panneerselvam has backstabbed the party.

"All 134 MLAs are with Sasikala. The AIADMK will have a stable government in Tamil Nadu for the next four and half years. Do we even need a CM who says that he was pressurised? He was never a full-fledged Chief Minister." he said.

Tambidurai also accused the DMK of being behind the current scenario but attempted to brush the incident aside by calling it 'nothing unusual'.

When asked about the role of the BJP, Tambidurai said that there was no need to talk about a party that doesn't have a single MLA in Tamil Nadu. He also added that the Governor is expected to visit Chennai in the next two days.

"Every single MLA is behind Sasikala and OPS is not fit to be a chief minister," he concluded before exiting from Poes Garden.

Meanwhile, Panneerselvam announced that he would address the press at 8 am on Wednesday. Leaders of the AIADMK including Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan were seen visiting Panneerselvam's residence.

[Was forced to resign as TN CM says humiliated Panneerselvam]

Hundreds of people thronged Panneerselvam's residence as he returned from Jayalalithaa memorial after talking to the media while Poes Garden wore a deserted look. Sources suggested that the AIADMK is likely to expel Panneerselvam for revolting against the party and its leaders. It may be noted that M G Ramachandran was removed from the post of treasurer of DMK in 1972 following which he founded the AIADMK.

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