Not BJP, but 122 MLAs protected the Palaniswami govt., says Dhinakaran

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader T.T. V. Dhinakaran on Tuesday countered AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s claim that the BJP government at the centre had safeguarded the erstwhile AIADMK government after the demise of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Speaking to journalists at Thanjavur, Mr. Dhinakaran said the actions of Mr. Palaniswami would go in favour of the DMK.  Joining issue with Mr. Palaniswami, Mr. Dhinakaran said it was not the BJP which protected the then AIADMK government under Palaniswami’s leadership when a no-confidence motion was brought by the opposition DMK. “It was the 122 [AIADMK] MLAs who protected the Palaniswami government,” he said.

A group of 18 MLAs [supporting Mr Dhinakaran] out of them had given a representation to the Governor only seeking a change of Palaniswami’s leadership unhappy with his style of functioning and not to topple the government, Mr.Dhinakaran contended.

According to him, Mr. Palaniswami would face a crushing defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections as the people of Tamil Nadu will reject him.

The AMMK would not be part of the AIADMK -led alliance or support it as his party felt Mr. Palaswami had committed “treason” and was “untrustworthy”, Mr. Dhinakaran said. 

Mr. Dhinakaran claimed the percentage of votes polled in favour of the AIADMK under the leadership of Mr. Palaniswami in the 2021 Assembly election was mainly due to “money power and the Two Leaves symbol”. Mr. Palaniswami could not expect the same result in the election next year as the percentage of votes would further reduce drastically. However, the AMMK could not be held responsible for the defeat of the AIADMK

Mr. Dhinakaran predicted that the State will witness a four-cornered battle in the elections next year among the DMK-led alliance, the NDA, an alliance headed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam founder Vijay and another one by the Naam Tamilar Katchi. 

Replying to a question, Mr. Dhinakaran said the AMMK was in the NDA alliance when Mr. Palaniswami was not part of it. The AMMK continued in the NDA for sometime even after the entry of Mr. Palaniswami because some “well wishers” had expressed views which kept us happy.