After expulsion from AIADMK, OPS faces more heat over kin's acts

Chennai, July 22 Expelled AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) is now facing heat in his hometown Theni as his brother O. Raja is accused of land grabbing.

While OPS has been categorically maintaining that he has his support base in Theni district, it was exposedas even after his expulsion from the party, there were not many protests over the action.

Now cases of land grabbing have come up against his family with his younger brother Raja facing allegations of having usurped the property of a farmer.

Farmer, Muniyandi, 59 has filed a complaint against Raja who was the former milk cooperative chairman of Theni. The complainant in his petition lodged with the Theni Superintendent of Police said that Raja had not paid him for the land he had purchased 10 years before.

The farmer said that his property is in Vilpatti village in Kodaikanal and that he was to be paid Rs 40 lakh rupees by Raja. Muniyandi, in the complaint also stated that whenever he had asked for the money, Raja and his henchmen threatened him with dire consequences.

In another case, a 63-year-old woman, Rajalakshmi set herself on fire before the Theni District Collectorate demanding action against the people who had encroached upon the land. She did not name any persons but only said that they were politically influential and that she was not in a position to fight against such people. Local people however said that it was Raja and his associates who had encroached upon the 63-year-old woman's land.

Panneerselvam was expelled from the AIADMK during the party General Council meeting on July 11 and the party is now in total control of K. Palaniswami. The son of OPS and MP from Theni, O.P. Raveendranath was also expelled from the party.

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