A stone plaque at Kasi Sri Annapoorani Temple near Kuchanoor here describing O.P. Raveendranath Kumar, son of Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, as “Theni Lok Sabha MP” has triggered a controversy. Lok Sabha election results are scheduled to be announced on May 23. The kumbabishekam of the temple was performed on Thursday.
The temple authorities subsequently covered the erroneous portion of the plaque. Though the name of Mr. Panneerselvam figured as Deputy Chief Minister, the plaque describes the late Jayalalithaa as the “Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu”.
After the photographs of the stone plaque went viral, AIADMK functionaries urged the temple trustees to immediately act on the matter. The ruling party tried to play it down stating that the trustees of the temple, in a bid to thank Mr. Panneerselvam and his family members for their liberal contribution, had mentioned Mr. Raveendranath as Lok Sabha member and that it need not be given much importance.
All-round criticism
However, the Opposition parties lost no time in lashing out at the ruling party.
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam propaganda secretary Thanga Tamilselvan said that it showed how the family members and friends of Mr. Panneerselvam respected the Election Commission.
“When the whole nation is waiting for May 23, the day of counting of votes, the foundation stone reflected the scant respect shown by them,” he charged.
When Edappadi K. Palaniswami was the Chief Minister, mentioning the name of the late leader Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister showed Mr. Panneerselvam’s true face, Mr. Thanga Tamilselvan said.
DMK leader Cumbum Ramakrishnan said that the people will show the door to the ruling party on May 23 and a new era would begin from that day.
The CPI(M) functionaries said that it was nothing but a “beginning of the end” for the AIADMK. “They may have given money to the people to vote for them, but the people are clever and will show their true face on May 23. Even the gods cannot help such a clan of politicians,” a functionary said.
Mr. Raveendranath could not be reached for his comments.