'Betrayal never wins,' with majority on her side, Sasikala slams OPS

Chennai: “Nobody has the power to split us, betrayal has never won,” AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala Natarajan said on Wednesday in a strong message to her party MLAs and in an attack on O Panneerselvam.

The AIADMK Legislature Party seems to be strongly behind its newly elected leader Sasikala with 131 of the 134 MLAs attending a meet called by her on Wednesday where she asked them not to "side with traitors" who have "struck" a deal with the DMK.

In an emotional speech at the meeting at the party headquarters, Sasikala questioned OPS' silence for about 48 hours after she was elected as the leader of the legislature party on Sunday.

"That is why there is this flutter. Neither AIADMK nor me will be cowed down by this," she told a meeting of party MLAs convened here to discuss the situation arising out of Panneerselvam's revolt against her last night.

"Panneerselvam not saying anything on this and his silence showed clearly that he had joined hands with DMK. His act had also infuriated the Ministers," she said.

"Please don't side with traitors who have struck a deal with DMK which was out to finish Amma's legacy. No force on the earth can break the AIADMK," she thundered before her legislators.

Referring to Panneerselvam's political career, Sasikala said he had been part of the AIADMK Janaki (MGR's widow) team following the death of the founder MG Ramachandran, before switching over to Jayalalithaa camp.

Jayalalithaa had 'forgiven' this and provided him with various opportunities (in the party and government), she added.

"Our rivals are showing their true face. We will prove our might to them. No one has the power or capacity to split or break us. I will solve the confusion arising in people's minds at the right time," she said.

Though people and cadre seem to be firmly with OPS, legislators have sided with Sasikala camp. However, Panneerselvam says situation would change soon and many MLAs will support him when he seeks trust vote in the Assembly.

'I and the AIADMK won't deviate from the path shown by Amma. I have dedicated my life to Amma and I was with her for 23 years," she said at the meeting.

Speaking to the media after an emergency meeting of AIADMK MLAs in Chennai, Natarajan said that after Jayalalithaa’s demise, she could not take up the responsibility of Chief Minister as she was ‘very sad’.

Hitting out at O Panneerselvam, Sasikala said she could ‘sense’ the acts of a Chief Minister who ‘completely connived with the Opposition’.

Sasikala claimed that 'it became my responsibility to put an end to wrongdoings done by the CM O Panneerselvam'.

She added, "Our opponents are after us and spearheading whatever is happening today, but nothing can stop us from following Amma's path."

"Paneerselvam colluded with the party which Amma fought against. We will give a big blow to this act of betrayal and disloyalty," Natarajan said.