CHENNAI: Hours after AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran said V K Sasikala remained the general secretary of the AIADMK and would continue to wage a legal battle challenging the conduct of the general council by the EPS-OPS groups, senior minister D Jayakumar said the aunt-nephew duo were not members of the ruling party and had no rights to make such claims.
Interacting with reporters in Chennai, the minister said the AMMK led by Dhinakaran had contested against the ruling AIADMK in the general elections and the assembly bypolls. “They made attempts to split the AIADMK and freeze the two leaves symbol. How could they say (Sasikala is general secretary of AIADMK) this? Certainly, people and the cadre will not accept,” Jayakumar said. The minister said the duo had no moral right to make such claims since they were not members of the party.
There was no chance of reinduction of Sasikala into the party and her release would have no impact on the AIADMK, Jayakumar said. “They floated the AMMK and secured 3% votes, but the popularity is only going down. Only the AIADMK will retain power in 2021,” he added.
On the closure of former chief ministers M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, Jayakumar said the second phase of work in the memorial complex, including museum and knowledge park, was going on and visit of people disrupted work.