Tamil Nadu Political Crisis: Jayalalitha's nephew backs OPS, MK Stalin turns to Rahul Gandhi

In a major setback for Sasikala camp, the late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's nephew Deepak Jayakumar, has backed OPS saying that the AIDMK needs leaders like Paneerselvam, E Madhusudanan and C Ponnaiyan (Expelled by Sasikala for "anti-party" activities) OPS should lead the party.

Lashing out at TTV Dinakaran he said, "Dinakaran is not fit to be the party deputy general secretary. My aunt was opposed to family politics. She got Dinakaran MP post (sic), and she threw him out of the party too," a leading daily news paper quoted him.

Deepak also offered to pay the Rs 100-crore fine imposed by the court on Jayalalithaa.He also said the split in AIDMK was not serious as it was just a family dispute and will be sorted out soon.

"There will be only one candidate for the AIADMK in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency. Our goal is to defeat Stalin, not OPS or Deepa (Jayalalithaa's niece)," he said.

On the controversy surrounding Veda Nilayam, Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence, Jayakumar said it was family property and belonged to him and Deepa. There was no need to evict the present inmates, he said, adding that he was willing to pay the Rs 100-crore fine imposed on his late aunt by availing loans.

Commenting on opposition's demand for a probe into Jayalalitha's death he said, "If they want, let us have a probe. We are ready to prove our innocence to all including my sister Deepa. Everything from hospitalisation to treatment was genuine."

Meanwhile, amidst  the current political crisis in Tamil Nadu, DMK's working president MK Stalin will meet Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Friday, a day after had he requested President Pranab Mukherjee to annul the Vote of Confidence in Tamil Nadu Assembly and direct the Governor to order for a fresh floor test through secret ballot.