On a day former Minister K.P. Munusamy flayed attempts by AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala’s relatives to usurp the party, her husband M. Natarajan questioned why her family should not claim credit for “safeguarding” the party.
“My wife carried Jayalalithaa on her shoulder for over 30 years. It was our family that protected Jayalalithaa after the death of former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran. We have made sacrifices and stood by her till the end. But we are accused of indulging in family politics. Why shouldn’t we claim credit for safeguarding the AIADMK?” he asked at a function here.
“Those who accuse us now had been sidelined by Jayalalithaa during her lifetime. They are instigated by some elements,” he claimed. Separately he told journalists that Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam was functioning well. Nonetheless, “The party and MLAs will decide on making Sasikala the Chief Minister. You and I need not debate this and create confusion.”
Mr. Natarajan accused the BJP of trying to split the AIADMK and destabilise the Tamil Nadu government and “saffronise” the State. “Tamil Nadu has been above caste and communal differences. The State has been peaceful. They want to disturb this and cause confusion,” he alleged.
Maintaining that the attempts would not succeed, Mr. Natarajan said he would expose the people behind such efforts. Asserting that he would not be cowed down, he said: “We have faced the all-powerful Congress, which has been reduced to a zero in TN for the past 50 years. The BJP can never succeed in Tamil Nadu.”
Ministers react
Meanwhile, condemning Mr. Munusamy, Handlooms Minister O.S. Manian said Mr. Divakaran was responsible for the personal security of Jayalalithaa during the evolving years of the party after MGR’s death. “I hope he (Mr. Munusamy) has not forgotten it,” the Minister said and added what a squirrel was to Lord Ram in Ramayana Mr. Divakaran was to Jayalalithaa.
As for the charge made by Mr. Munusamy over party’s primary membership of Mr. Divakaran, Mr. Manian said it was true that he was expelled but that “happened long ago.” The former Minister had been bought over by someone, Mr. Manian charged.
Law Minister Mr. Shanmugam accused Mr. Munusamy of having betrayed the party, adding the latter had aired his views “only to satisfy someone and only for some benefit” and by doing so, he had “joined the list of traitors.”
