AIADMK one like family: Sasikala

Chennai, February 7 

In a quick retaliation after he raised a banner of revolt against her, AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala tonight sacked O Panneerselvam from the party post of treasurer and said all party legislators were united like a family.

Blaming the DMK for attempting revolt against her, she said Panneerselvam would be expelled from the party. 

She replaced Panneerselvam with Dindigul C Srinivasan, who is also the Forest Minister and is seen number two in the hierarchy in the Council of Ministers.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The decision to remove Panneerselvam comes after a top level meeting Sasikala chaired at the Poes Garden residence, in which some sitting ministers and a section of senior functionaries participated.

Earlier, dropping a bombshell,  Panneerselvam claimed he was forced to resign to make way for Sasikala. The normally quiet Man Friday of J Jayalalithaa chose to break his silence on the happenings in the party ever since the death of his mentor on December 5, saying he was being "insulted" by senior leaders who sought to “undermine” him as CM.

Senior AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai dismissed the claims. On a day when former Speaker PH Pandian raised the banner of revolt against Sasikala, Panneerselvam made an unexpected visit to Jayalalithaa’s ‘Samadhi’ and sat in meditation for about 40 minutes, creating a flutter in political circles.

Meanwhile, Governor Vidyasagar Rao deferred his plans to visit Chennai.

The AIADMK asserted it was the constitutional obligation of the Governor to swear in Sasikala as CM. Rao, who is in Mumbai, has no plans to go to Chennai as of now, Raj Bhawan sources said.  — PTI