Natarajan says no need to replace CM Pan'selvam

Natarajan said the AIADMK and party MLAs would decide on elevating Sasikala as Chief Minister.

Thanjavur (TN) Jan 16: With a section of party leaders pitching for AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala to be made Chief Minister, her husband M Natarajan on Monday night said the government under O Panneerselvam was performing well and there was no need to replace him as of now.

"Under O Paneerselvam, a very good rule is happening... there is no urgency or need on our part to change him as of now and I say this as an observer," he said in response to a query in this regard from reporters here. Natarajan said the AIADMK and party MLAs would decide on elevating Sasikala as Chief Minister. He alleged that saffron forces were trying to push the Aryan-Dravidian divide and insisted that such designs will not be possible.

Natarajan alleged that such forces were trying to create disruption in an otherwise peaceful state of Tamil Nadu. He also alleged that there was a conspiracy by BJP to break AIADMK and its government. On former AIADMK minister K P Munuswamy's criticism of Sasikala's brother Divakaran, he said in the past Divakaran had even protected late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Munusamy had contested Divakaran's remarks that Natarajan played a key role in unifying various factions of AIADMK after the death of party founder M G Ramachandran and said it was MGR's wife Janaki who had asked Jayalalithaa to lead AIADMK in her husband's absence. "Today they are speaking as if they reclaimed the AIADMK symbol (Two Leaves) though it was Janaki who wrote to the Election Commission in this regard," he had claimed while talking to reporters at Krishnagiri. Divakaran's statement had 'hurt' the feelings of party workers and he should express regret for it, Munusamy had said.

PTI