OPS-Nainar spat continues; TTV bats to bring him back
O Panneerselvam
continued on Sunday too, with the two denying each other's claims.
While OPS showed messages he had sent to Nainar as proof of reaching out to him, the BJP leader said these were not enough.
Even as the two leaders sparred, AMMK general secretary
TTV Dhinakaran
urged the BJP's national and state leaders to bring OPS back to NDA. The day also saw OPS asking his supporters not to talk about alliances and warned of action if they violated. The fresh exchanges began with Nainar demanding proof for OPS's claim that he had attempted to reach out to the BJP leader seeking an appointment with PM Narendra Modi when he visited Tamil Nadu last month.
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Addressing reporters at Bhavani in Erode district, Nainar stated that he did not receive any communication from OPS requesting a meeting with Modi.
"OPS did not contact me. In fact, it was I who contacted OPS the day before he met chief minister M K Stalin," Nainar said. Nainar said that though OPS levelled charges against him, he would not do so in return.
Within hours, OPS showed reporters at Madurai airport the messages he had sent to Nainar from his mobile.
Later in the day, when reporters met Nainar at Odanilai and asked him about the messages, the BJP leader said displaying such messages from his cellphone were not enough as proof of communication.
Meanwhile, TTV Dhinakaran said BJP's Delhi leaders as well as those in TN should bring OPS back to the NDA. "OPS was with BJP even before I joined NDA. BJP leaders should take steps to bring him back," he said.
He blamed unnamed leaders for forcing OPS's exit from NDA and expressed confidence OPS would not join DMK. Later in the day, OPS issued a statement, warning his supporters and cadres not to talk about alliances. Instead, he said they should campaign about problems faced by people because of DMK govt and hold public rallies to explain how AIADMK is crumbling.
In a related development, senior AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan alleged OPS had long maintained a "secret understanding" with DMK.
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