Palaniswami weakening AIADMK by removing party functionaries: Sengottaiyan

Coimbatore, Nov 7 (PTI) Expelled AIADMK leader K A Sengottaiyan on Friday alleged that the AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was weakening the organisation by removing the party functionaries who speak their mind.

AIADMK should win in the forthcoming elections and those who have got separated from the party should be brought back into the party's fold, the Gobichettipalayam MLA told reporters.

"Only then the ideals and dreams of party founder M G Ramachandran and the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa would be realised," the veteran leader said.

He recalled that he was removed in 2012 and Edappadi Palaniswami was removed in 2009 from the party by then general secretary J Jayalalithaa.

"However, after that she did not remove anyone and history will speak for itself on that." he said.

"But, today such a situation is not there. Actions are immediately taken today if party functionaries speak their mind. This will not only weaken the movement (AIADMK) but also weaken the person who is removing them." he said.

"I told my views of bringing unity and coordination. But I was removed from party posts," he said.

Sengottaiyan also charged Palaniswami that he was listening to the comments made by his son, son-in-law and nephew which were influencing the party affairs.

"You (as media) all are aware of this situation. But what happened to those loyalists who had built this movement?" he asked.

Asked why he did not raise the issue of Palaniswami's family members involvement in party affairs when he was within the AIADMK, Sengottaiyan replied, "If I had told I would have been removed on that day itself." Referring to a sarcastic remark made by Palaniswami that he was living like a 'king' in his constituency, Sengottaiyan said, "such a word hurts me. Several organisations at the local level have appreciated me for taking all efforts towards development of this region." "My view is that this movement (AIADMK) should be strong. Party cadres should not be removed. To safeguard a movement, the party leadership should call for a discussion whenever comments are passed by another leader. He (Palaniswami) did not do anything like that." he said.

Listing out the differences that surfaced between him and Palaniswami, Sengottaiyan said, "whenever I told them (AIADMK party leadership) that I got invitation to meet the (Home Minister Amit Shah), they did not believe it. But they are saying that I was meeting those people whom I have not met." "These are the contradictions that emerged (between him and Palaniswami)" he said.

To another query whether he would launch a separate political outfit in future, he said, "Wait and see." Referring to the Kodanad murder case, he said, Palaniswami demands CBI probe even if an unknown woman had died.

"But that was not the case in Kodanad. It was Amma (Jayalalithaa) who took care of us was living there. My question is why he did not demand a CBI probe for that?" he asked.

Sengottaiyan was expelled from AIADMK on October 31 by Palaniswami for involving in anti-party work. Subsequently, 14 supporters of Sengottaiyan were removed from the AIADMK. PTI VIJ ADB