AIADMK Amma camp hits back at O Panneerselvam team for 'cross-over' remark

CHENNAI: AIADMK (Amma) faction today hit back at the rebel O Panneerselvam camp by claiming that many from the rival group were making efforts to join the ruling side.

"Many (in the rival camp) are making efforts to come over here. That will happen soon," Finance Minister D Jayakumar said.

Reacting to a comment of O Panneerselvam loyalist S Semmalai that a majority of ministers were in a "mood" to switch over to their side, he said it may have been to try and halt cross-over from their side and placate their followers.

Semmalai, a former minister, had yesterday told reporters at Salem that a majority of ministers were "disillusioned" and were in touch with them.

Claiming that the cross-over will happen to the Amma camp, Jayakumar, also holding the Fisheries portfolio, said Semmalai's 'cross-over' comment was like aiming to "plug the leak in a boat with salt."

He said the party workers were united and government will complete its term in 2021.

The AIADMK (Amma) faction had recently described as "opportunism" rival O Panneerselvam camp's demand for a CBI probe into former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa's death as a precondition for merger talks.

The merger talks, however, have failed to make any headway with the OPS faction sticking to their demands.