AIADMK has no place for family rule, Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami

Taking a jibe on the AIADMK jailed party chief Sasiakala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami said that there is no room for family rule in the party on Wednesday.

Palaniswami said, “The government of Amma is a fort that protects the poor and there is no room for family rule,"

The Tamil Nadu chief minister addressing a government function in commemoration of the

centenary of late chief minister and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran at Vandalur in Chennai said "there is no place for graft and anarchy in the regime.”

Palaniswami further added, "those who believe us will not be let down and we will not allow such a situation come about",

His comments come amid the rebellion by 21 MLAs, loyal to Dhinakaran, who had met state Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on August 22 and expressed lack of confidence in the chief minister, a day after factions led by Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam merged.

Palaniswami and leaders of the unified AIADMK are locked in a turf war with the sidelined Dhinakaran and are opposing involvement of Sasikala’s family members in the party and the government affair.

Dhinakaran had sacked a number of ministers, including Palaniswami, from various party posts.

Sasikala is serving a prison sentence after being convicted in a disproportionate assets case.

(With PTI inputs)