Panneerselvam vows to end Sasikala family rule

Mr. Panneerselvam visited Jayalalithaa’s memorial on Thursday night, the third time in less than 10 days, and spent some time there with his supporters, including Ma Foi Pandiarajan, Ponnaiyan, and other leaders in his camp. He paid a floral tribute at Jayalalithaa’s memorial.

“Amma (Jayalalithaa) made it clear that she only allowed Sasikala back into the party (after expelling her and relatives) and not her family members. She had removed her family members from primary membership of the AIADMK and did not re-admit them till her death. But the government that has taken charge in Tamil Nadu today is Sasikala’s proxy and doesn’t comprise Amma’s true loyalists,” charged Mr. Panneerselvam.

He vowed to reinstall a government that would be filled with loyalists of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

“It is unfortunate that all those who were disowned by her are now in charge of the party,” he said in an obvious reference to the appointment of Sasikala’s nephew T.T.V. Dinakaran as party deputy general secretary.

‘Against people’s wishes’

He charged that the people were against the new government. “Until this government is removed, we will not sleep or rest. The people don’t want this government,” he said.