Panneerselvam slams ex-TN minister over 'Jayalalithaa's historical mistake' remark, demands apology

Chennai, July 31 Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who has walked out of the NDA fold, launched a scathing attack on his ex-Cabinet colleague Kadambur C. Raju for calling late AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa’s 1998 decision to withdraw support to the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government a “historical mistake".

Paneerselvam, also referred to as OPS, asserted that the move was in fact a “revolutionary” decision that paved the way for AIADMK’s landslide victory in the 2001 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Speaking on behalf of the AIADMK Cadres' Rights Retrieval Committee, a unit floated by him after his expulsion from AIADMK, OPS demanded Raju issue a public apology for his remark, warning that he would “face the consequences” if he failed to do so.

“What he said about Amma (Jayalalithaa) is akin to kicking away the ladder. It was she who gave him a political identity, made him an MLA, and even elevated him to the position of minister,” OPS said in a strongly worded statement.

OPS described Raju’s comments as “historical plunder", accusing him of betraying the very leader who built his political career.

The Kovilpatti MLA reportedly made the remark during a closed-door meeting with BJP functionaries in Thoothukudi district on Wednesday.

Though Raju later claimed the media had misinterpreted his statement, OPS rejected that explanation.

Recalling Jayalalithaa’s bold political moves, OPS cited her famous rally cry, “Modi or this lady?”, during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when the AIADMK won 37 of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu.

“Yet Raju is criticising her for that very achievement. His behaviour is akin to turning against those who once supported him,” OPS said, invoking a Tamil proverb, ‘Unda veetukku renthagam’ (a betrayal of the house that fed you).

OPS also warned that if Raju did not apologise, the people of Tamil Nadu would deliver a fitting response.

Only days ago, OPS had sharply criticised the BJP-led Union government for with-holding Rs 2,151 crore in Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds from Tamil Nadu, citing the state’s non-compliance with the three-language policy.

With his latest statement, OPS has both defended Jayalalithaa’s political legacy and reinforced his estranged stance against the BJP, indicating his determination to remain a vocal force in Tamil Nadu politics ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

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