SOUTH
O Panneerselvam’s political ambition of becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is far from over. The 66-year-old politician has decided to travel across Tamil Nadu to gain supporters for what he terms as dharma yutham, a war for justice. Incidentally, this is also the name of his campaign, which he launched from Kottivakkam in Kancheepuram.
O Panneerselvam’s campaign doesn’t just indicate his ambition to rule Tamil Nadu again; it also projects him as J Jayalalithaa’s loyalist, her most trust advisory who stepped in for her three times during her tenure. And while speaking on the occasion, he reminded his party cadres and his supporters that his allegiance will always remain with the late leader.
He said that his dharma yutham was an effort to initiate a CBI probe into Jayalalithaa’s death. This would be the central message of his campaign, he said. With this, he also indicated that a merger will not take place between his camp and the opposing faction headed by VK Sasikala and her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran.
“The present regime is a 'benami' government and there has been no transparency either in its functioning or in the party faction managed by Palaniswami,” he said, adding that Tamil Nadu could witness assembly elections sooner than expected.
O Panneerselvam may not have the charisma of the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa but he is known across the state as her understudy, who has delivered on her behalf time and again. This time, the former Revenue Minister is no doubt going to reach out to the masses with his clean image, his devotion to J Jayalithaa and finally, with a promise to provide answers for her death, something which the people of the state are waiting to know.