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Palaniswami said fake news was circulated alleging that the AIADMK was working on plans to form the government with the DMK’s support.
AIADMK supremo Edappadi K Palaniswami suffered a major setback after a rebel camp joined hands with the TVK-led government. (PTI/File)
AIADMK’s embattled chief Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of luring MLAs by “horse-trading” and rejected rumours of his party allying with the DMK to form the government.
His remarks came after a rebel AIADMK faction led by SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam gave external support to Vijay after accusing EPS of making an attempt to form the government with arch-rival DMK.
However, Palaniswami said in a statement that fake news was circulated alleging that the AIADMK was working on plans to form the government with the DMK’s support, adding that the party was founded in 1972 on the principle of opposition to the DMK.
EPS Slams ‘Backstabber’ Vijay
The AIADMK supremo accused Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of attempting to lure AIADMK office-bearers by way of “horse-trading” and offering ministerships.
“The party that claims to be the pure force seems to have fallen at the feet of the DMK allies. The same party backstabbed the AIADMK by horse-trading,” he said.
Palaniswami further said the TVK will last only for a short time and appeared confident that an AIADMK government will be formed soon in Tamil Nadu. “Since the days of MGR and Jayalalithaa, we have taken action against betrayers and then taken them back if they repented,” he said.
Meanwhile, rebel AIADMK leader C Ve Shanmugam accused EPS of ignoring repeated advice from senior leaders to align with TVK before the elections. His remarks came after Palaniswami expelled several rebel leaders, including MLAs SP Velumani and C Vijayabaskar, from party posts for defying the leadership during the Assembly confidence motion on May 13.
The AIADMK also said they had applied for the disqualification of the 25 MLAs who disobeyed the party’s whip and voted to support the TVK-led government, marking the most serious crisis in the party under EPS leadership.
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