Tamil Nadu Politics LIVE: OPS’ betrayal will not go unpunished, DMK’s evil act to destroy party, Says Sasikala

AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala addressing party MLAs at the AIADMK HQ. Sasikala is facing rebellion from O Panneerselvam, the man who took over the as Tamil Nadu CM after Jayalalithaa’s death. In a speech punctuated with applause by nearly a 100 MLAs, she said she would work on the path of Amma and betrayal would not be tolerated. At several points in the hour-long speech, she blamed the DMK for the rebellion.

Highlights…

— We won’t deviate from the path of Amma.
— Won’t tolerate betrayal, won’t tolerate dirty tricks.
— OPS’ betrayal wont go unpunished.
— Was there any temptation by the Opposition parties? Is he falling victim to their games?
— I wont deviate from the path Amma showed.
— This is an attempt to break the unity of the party and let me assure you we will not let it happen. The DMK is trying to break up the party and let me tell them, they will not be successful.
— History has shown us that traitors can never win. No on can defeat the AIADMK.
— I hope all of Amma’s children, all of you, will be with me.
— We will show the betrayers, the naysayers, the true path of Amma.
— No one will be able to divide us.
— I will clear the confusion in the next few days.
— The enemies of the AIADMK will come one after the other. But they will only face defeat.
— As Dr MGR said fear is foolishness, you have to rise above fear.
— OPS falling victim to DMK’s dirty politics.
— Amma was my heart,  my God. I swear this in the name of Amma, in the name of Dr MGR.
— For 33 years there were many ups and downs many calamities. I have faced so many betrayals, but I have overcome all of that and we will overcome this too.
— It’s a DMK-OPS plot to split the party.
— When Amma died there was confusion that the party will be split.
— This is the deceitful plan of the DMK that OPS is falling to.
— I took the decision that OPS should be CM. But at the time, cadre said I should be CM. But I was not in a mental position, I was grieving.
— In the last two months OPS has been colluding and cooperating with opposition forces.
— But I overlooked it. Amma has showed the way.
— But events of the last two days have forced me to take this step.
— His evil act to destroy the party will not be forgiven. He undermines everything that Amma fought for, that the cadre fought for. He is out to destroy all of that.
— It is a deviation from Amma’s path and I will not allow it.
— I dedicate my life to Amma’s dream.
— The journey for us is to follow in the path that Amma has show us.
— There is more power in the word Amma, than CM.
— Our enemies are acting to undermine us.
— The AIADMK will not break nor will I break because of this.
— Her dreams will always be with us and will be fulfilled.
— No power can stop us. Because the power called Amma is with us.
— The 5th of December legislative meeting — I did not call for it.  That I influenced this, that I forced OPS to resign is not true and nobody will believe
it.
— Why did OPS change in the last 48 hours?  Was OPS tempted by the DMK? Why did he keep quiet for all these days. Was he being played by the DMK? People are vexed because he cohorted with the DMK.
— When OPS complained that members are colluding against him,  I immediately took action and told them not to do anything that undermines the authority of the CM.
— I understand the machinations of the DMK with OPS.
— As general secretary I would have forgiven him. But what happened yesterday has crossed all boundaries.
— Stalin was happy yesterday and that shows OPS is in cahoots with the DMK.
I dedicate myself to the dreams of Amma.
I hope you will join  me in realising her dreams.

13:21 pm:

Sasikala starts her media address

The meeting of AIADMK MLAs in Chennai is over. Sasikala called for a meeting of AIADMK MLAs at the party office. Of the party’s 134 lawmakers, about 100 are on her side. She is likely to address the media later today. She said no one can break the unity of the party. Reports say she addressed MLAs at the meeting and urged them not to support traitors, a reference to O Panneerselvam.

Panneerselvam has said that he will meet Governor Vidyasagar Rao after he returns to Chennai. He said after assuming the CM’s position, the experiences which he went through has pained him a lot. “Being a CM I was targeted and humiliated,” he said.

AIADMK senior leader Dr Maitereyan said the rank and file support O Panneerselvam since he is Amma’s choice. “The people and cadre support OPS. The BJP can give moral support to OPS, but strength will be tested in an Assembly.

Sasikala has maintained that she did not force OPS to resign.

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2017

There has been no instance where #Panneerselvam has betrayed the party, while remaining in power or opposition: #OPanneerselvam pic.twitter.com/AstSYJbyBk

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2017

10:45pm: O Panneerselvam to address reporters at his residence shortly.

10:45pm: Chinamma will be Tamil Nadu chief minister undoubtedly, all AIADMK MLAs are behind her: AIADMK MP, Navaneethakrishnan tells ANI.

10:30am: AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan reaches O Panneerselvam’s residence in Chennai.

10:21 am : Tamil Nadu Governor is studying the Present situation. He will take his decision on right time. Centre has not playing role in this: Venkaiah Naidu Said to Media.

10:15am: More police personnel deployed around Jayalalithaa’s memorial at Chennai’s Marina Beach.

10:10am: BJP MP Subramanian Swamy weighs in, says Sasikala should be sworn-in as chief minister, if delayed “it’ll be violence against Constitution” and the President will need to intervene.

9:50am: Ahead of AIADMK MLAs meet at the party headquarters, Sasikala meets leaders including M Thambidurai at Poes Garden, reports ANI

Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi has denied reports that Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao had sought his opinion on whether there were any legal hurdles to AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan taking over as the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Rohatgi, however, said there was no legal problem to her appointment as CM.

Sasikala was acquitted by Karnataka High Court on May 11, 2015 in the disproportionate assets case along with former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa, J Elavarasi and VN Sudhakaran.

The Karnataka government had appealed to the apex court against the acquittal in the corruption case. The Bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy had reserved the judgment.