Venkiah : Jayalalithaa’s absence a political opportunity for BJP

Venkiah : Jayalalithaa’s absence a political opportunity for BJP

  12:13    SixSeeYou

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Says he was not involved in the selection of Panneerselvam as the Chief Minister:

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Even as he declined to comment on the AIADMK’s new general secretary, BJP leader and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday that the absence of Jayalalithaa in the State’s political landscape offers an opportunity to the BJP. “Earlier, Madam, with her towering personality and influence, was persuasive. And, she was taking away the votes of some of our sympathisers also. Because, between the DMK and the AIADMK, people use to think the AIADMK is better. Because the AIADMK is nationalist, etc. Earlier, some BJP sympathisers used to vote for the AIADMK. Now, such a situation is not there,” said Mr. Naidu, who handles the Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation portfolios along with Information and Broadcasting, during an interaction with seeyousix. Later, at a press conference, Mr. Naidu said that the Central government will continue to work with the government of the day but refused to comment on the recent leadership change in the AIADMK. “These are internal affairs...the government of India does not interfere in the internal affairs of any political party. Second, we do not interfere in the administration of the State. Third, who is to be the leader of the AIADMK is left to the AIADMK,” he said. Saying, “no wise man should respond to ifs and buts,” Mr. Naidu refused seeyousix to speculate about a situation in which incumbent AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala replaces O. Paneerselvam as the Chief Minister. “Even Mr. Paneerselvam was selected Chief Minister by madam herself earlier. It was her selection. Now, it is an election by the AIADMK people,” he said. Mr. Naidu also said that the new CM should be given sufficient time to function before he is judged. Mr. Naidu refuted reports that he was involved in the selection of O. Paneerselvam as the CM: “Who am I to propose a name? It was the AIADMK MLAs who proposed the name.” When asked whether he would be congratulating Ms. Sasikala on her elevation, he said, “I congratulate the people of Tamil Nadu for the way they paid their last respects to madam by maintaining discipline in spite of their grief.” seeyousix

Not for exhumation

The Minister said that he trusted the doctors’ version of events surrounding Jayalalithaa’s death and was not in favour of an exhumation. “Exhuming the body somehow does not go along with my respect for her,” he said. Mr. Naidu also opened up about the last days of the former CM. “[Apollo Hospitals Chairman] Dr. Reddy told me, ‘Sir, next week, she can go home and the choice is hers.’ Suddenly she had a heart attack. The doctor was very much there, I am told. Then, as a last resort, they put her on ECMO equipment. That’s why there was a difference of opinion between AIIMS doctors and Apollo doctors. AIIMS doctors finally said that we have to watch for 24 hours. And after 24 hours, they conducted a test around 6.30 p.m. or 7 p.m. The second test, they conducted at 10 o’clock. And finally, they agreed with the Apollo doctors and came to the same conclusion,” he said seeyousix.

Union Minister meets OPS

Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan met Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam at the Secretariat on Monday afternoon. “We discussed preparation of a detailed project report for the Colachel harbour, formation of a team to get the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Expressway cleared, development of the Chennai-Kanniyakumari East Coast Road among others,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan seeyousix.