Betrayers Will Be "Isolated": E Palaniswami Takes Hard Line On Dissidents
AIADMK General Secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, popularly known as EPS, sharpened his attack today on dissident leader KA Sengottaiyan and expelled leaders O Panneerselvam, VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran.
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E Palaniswami intensifies stance against O Paneerselvam, recalling the 2017 political crisis.
Chennai:
AIADMK General Secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) intensified his criticism today targeting dissident leader KA Sengottaiyan and expelled members O Panneerselvam, VK Sasikala, and TTV Dhinakaran, labeling their actions as "betrayal."
Speaking at a party gathering in Chennai, Mr Palaniswami indirectly referenced senior leader and nine-time MLA Sengottaiyan, who had called for AIADMK's revival following three consecutive election defeats: "Certain individuals are creating disruptions through hired supporters. We've identified them and will resolve this situation shortly. Nobody can harm AIADMK. For us, self-respect surpasses power in importance, and we will stand firm."
EPS had previously removed Mr Sengottaiyan and his supporters from their party positions after the veteran leader established a 10-day deadline for leadership to address his unity proposal.
Taking a more stringent position today, he stated: "Those engaging in pointless talk have no place here. Only dedicated workers belong in our ranks. Anyone attempting to betray the party will find themselves stranded without support. Even divine forgiveness won't extend to betrayers. They will become isolated."
Mr Sengottaiyan had previously urged the party to forgive and reinstate departed leaders, implicitly referencing expelled members Sasikala, OPS, and TTV Dhinakaran. OPS and TTV Dhinakaran recently departed from the NDA alliance.
Last week, Mr Sengottaiyan traveled to Delhi, claiming he was undertaking a spiritual journey to Haridwar. His timing coincides with a critical period for EPS, who faces pressure to strengthen party unity before the pivotal 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
Directing criticism toward Mr Paneerselvam, Mr Palaniswami referenced the 2017 crisis: "We forgave certain individuals who betrayed us and attempted to overthrow our government. We appointed them as Deputy Chief Minister, yet they showed no improvement. They engaged in vandalism at party headquarters. Another individual removed 18 MLAs in an attempt to destabilize the government. Who could accept such actions? Nobody can intimidate me. My resolve remains unshaken."
Responding to allegations that he has conceded ground to the BJP and renewed ties following two electoral alliance defeats, EPS offered a fresh perspective: "There's no pressure from the Centre. Historically, they've only supported us positively. After (former Chief Minister and AIADMK icon) Jayalalithaa's passing, certain factions attempted to seize control of the party and topple our government. You're aware who protected us - it was the Centre. We remain grateful. The Centre fulfilled all our requests - Chennai Metro, highways, river restoration projects."
With Tamil Nadu elections approaching in seven months, Mr Palaniswami expressed confidence: "The DMK won't even secure their deposit in the 2026 elections. Citizens are eagerly awaiting the conclusion of DMK governance. Electoral alliances form to defeat our opponents. Hasn't the DMK previously allied with BJP? Today, the DMK fears defeat."