16-05-2025
Panneerselvam upset over exclusion from Amit Shah's Chennai visit
ADMK Workers' Rights Retrieval Committee coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Thursday (May 15, 2025) expressed disappointment over not being invited during the recent visit of BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Chennai. He, however, maintained that his supporters were still part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Mr. Paneeerselvam told journalists in Chennai that it was 'regrettable' that he was not invited. 'You are aware of the political situation emerging in Tamil Nadu. We faced the previous Lok Sabha elections as part of the NDA. As far as we are concerned, we are part of that alliance even today.'
When asked if he accepted the leadership of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Mr. Panneerselvam recalled the merger of his faction with the AIADMK after a 'dharma yudham' and said: 'Did he not accept that I will be the coordinator [of the party]? And did I not accept that he [Mr. Palaniswami] will be the Chief Minister? So, when parties merge, some consensual comments may emerge. How can I talk about them now?'
When a journalist pressed the same point, Mr. Pannerselvam said: 'You tell me: is it better to accept or not, given today's situation?' Responding to a query, he acknowledged that some leaders of the AIADMK were in talks with him and referred to meeting six leaders of that party. 'We want the divided forces of the AIADMK to come together and act.'
When asked about his comments on actor Vijay and his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Mr. Panneerselvam said: 'When beloved brother Vijay started his political party, I welcomed it. We can comment only after his political actions lead to an objective. As of now, he is proceeding with the right objective.'
