Chennai, Jan 26 (IANS) T.T.V. Dhinakaran, General Secretary of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), on Monday said he has no intention of contesting in the forthcoming elections and that his only desire is to see those working alongside him emerge victorious and become ministers.
Speaking to reporters in Theni, Dhinakaran said his political priority was to strengthen the party and ensure electoral success for its candidates.
He dismissed speculation about his personal electoral ambitions, stressing that leadership is not about holding positions but about guiding others to power.
Taking aim at rivals, Dhinakaran questioned how leaders who claim to uphold the legacy of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa could ever distance themselves from her ideals.
He said that anyone genuinely committed to her vision should be willing to say or do whatever is necessary to bring her party back to power.
In a sharp attack on actor-politician Vijay, Dhinakaran remarked that political credibility begins with stepping out of one’s home and engaging directly with people, not merely speaking from a distance.
Dhinakaran also spoke about former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, describing him as a true volunteer of Jayalalithaa. He expressed hope that Panneerselvam would join hands with the alliance, recalling that had there not been an internal “dharma yuddham,” Panneerselvam could have become Chief Minister again under V.K. Sasikala’s leadership.
On the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, Dhinakaran said it would mark a “true dawn” for the State. He claimed that the space once occupied by Jayalalithaa is now held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that he would adopt Tamil Nadu and elevate it into one of India’s most important States.
He confirmed that under the leadership of Edappadi K. Palaniswami, his party had joined the National Democratic Alliance voluntarily, without pressure or coercion.
Launching a fierce attack on the DMK, Dhinakaran accused the ruling party of presiding over corruption, rising drug trafficking, and a breakdown of law and order.
He alleged that several welfare schemes introduced by Jayalalithaa, including free gold for mangalsutras and laptops for students, had been discontinued.
Responding to allegations by a TVK leader that he was blackmailed into joining the alliance, Dhinakaran said he was deeply saddened by such claims and rejected accusations related to money or symbols, asserting that he had never engaged in bribery or corruption.
–IANS
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