Hours after All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK) MLA P. H. Pandiyan raised suspicion over former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa's death, senior members of the party on Tuesday refuted charges stating the former is trying to create rift within the party.
"Today some unexpected developments happened. Former speaker PH Pandian and his son have spoken out to media. If he had any issues, he could have spoken within party. But his allegations are far from truth," P.S. Ramachandran, AIADMK leader said.
"Five persons from his (PH Pandian) family are enjoying party posts, but even after that he is all out to create confusion. He should have been thankful to the party," another leader K.A. Sengottaiyan said.
Sengottaiyan, further alleged that after the demise of Jayalalithaa there has been an attempt to break the party.
"There is an attempt to break the party after Amma left us. We are united and will not allow anyone to indulge in anti-party activities,"
Responding to the allegations made by Pandiyan that Jayalalithaa was poisoned to death, Ramachandran said, "Only doctors can speak about it; this allegation is completely false."
Asserting that Sasikala Natarajan would become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK leaders said Governor C.H. Vidyasagar Rao has been intimated and the swearing ceremony would soon take place.
"We've presented our status to the Governor. It is for him to indicate time at his convenience, we can't force him," Ramachandran said.
Pandiyan on Tuesday questioned the manner in which Natarajan was made the genera; secretary of the party and later was elected to become the chief minister.
"Sasikala Natarajan doesn't have the quality to be the AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. I haven't come out of sadness after Jayalalithaa's demise," he said.
Strongly opposing the elevation of Natarajam, Pandiyan said, "The way she was elected as the general secretary in a hotchpotch manner, however, by the blessings Jayalaithaa and M.G. Ramachandran, the swearing in ceremony of Sasikala did not take place."
When asked whether the AIADMK is divided within where only some have raised their apprehensions against the move, Pandiyan said, "There is no division within the AIADMK. Many leaders fear Sasikala and that is why none of them are going against her. But I will change that culture.
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