Dhinakaran's attempts to break AIADMK will not fructify, says Palaniswami

Continuing his attack on AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday charged him with conspiring to break the ruling AIADMK, but asserted his dreams will not fructify as the worker-dominated party will remain united.

The AIADMK will never allow "one family to rule" the state, Palaniswami, on a campaign tour ahead of the assembly elections likely in April, said.

Some conspired to wrest control of the party but the efforts have to be thwarted by the alert ruling party workers, Palaniswami said at an election rally in Krishnagiri in Western part of the state.Later, speaking to reporters in Salem, he asserted nobody can create "even the slightest split" in the party.

In the election meeting, the AIADMK joint coordinator said the party has place only for the loyal and hardworking and even a worker with such attributes can become chief minister, a reference to himself.

In his address, in an apparent reference to Dhinakaran, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader and nephew of expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, the chief minister alleged he had earlier also tried to topple the government and break the party.

"When I became CM in 2017 we were giving good rule. Some then tried to wean away a few of our MLAs from us. You know who that conspirator is, who tried to topple this government, break the party by dividing 18 people," he said.

Eighteen AIADMK MLAs loyal to Dhinakaran had rebelled against Palaniswami in 2017 after he merged his faction with that of now deputy CM O Panneerselvam.

However, the Amma (late CM J Jayalalithaa) government remained in power due to unity and all efforts to destabilise it were countered, he said.

"He has started again. You know who it is -- TTV Dhinakaran. He was not in the party for ten years as Amma had expelled him even from primary membership but somehow he came back. Today he is conspiring (against AIADMK)," Palaniswami alleged.

AIADMK will never accept this, he said.

Palaniswami had on Tuesday also targeted Dhinakaran for his renewed assertion that efforts to 'retrieve' the AIADMK were on with the return of Saikala return to Tamil Nadu after serving a four year jail term in Bengaluru in a corruption case.

"Dhinakaran can never break the AIADMK, no matter how many avatars he takes. His dreams will not come true," the AIADMK veteran asserted.The AIADMK is a party of workers. Only a worker can become chief minister," he said.

The AIADMK grew due to hardwork of workers and it will "not bow" before "one family to rule" Tamil Nadu, he added.

Earlier, at an election rally in Ambur in Tirupathur, he lashed out at political parties seeking votes on the basis of religion and caste and said these were not the considerations of the AIADMK.

Amma government will ensure protection to people of any religion and the state has been a haven of peace,he said.Later, speaking to reporters in Salem, Palaniswami exuded confidence his party and its led alliance will sweep the polls.

Asked about a 'public perception' that he did not talk about Sasikala much and trained his guns more against Dhinakaran, Palaniswami said there was no need to dwell on people who were not in the party.However, Dhinakaran had attempted to "break the AIADMK and topple the government" using the 18 rebel MLAs. Later he went on to float AMMK and "so we are talking about him", he added.

Asked if Dhinakaran would be allowed back in the AIADMK, Palaniswami said the two parties were different entities and that the AMMK was "poking its nose," apparently into his party's affairs "but nothing will happen".

"If someone leaves AMMK and wants to join our party, our leadership will decide," he said.

To a question on Panneerselvam, the chief minister said they were united and said there was a "planned mischievous campaign" to create a picture as if all was not well in the party.

"Not even the slightest split can be made in the party," he asserted.

Alliance talks, especially with the PMK were on and seat-sharing talks would conclude only after several rounds of discussions, he said.