Palaniswami accuses Sasikala and family for bringing bad name to party

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Saturday in a veiled attack said the Income Tax raids, being conducted at Poes Garden, is due to the wrong doing of Sasikala and his family.

Palaniswami, while taking to the media here, said the Sasikala family is responsible for bringing bad name to the party.

"It is the wrong doing of a family (Sasikala) which has brought bad name for the party and that is why IT raids are happening," he said.

"During IT raids in Poes Garden, Amma's room was not searched. There is no connection between the IT raids in Poes Garden and state governments. Raids are conducted by the IT dept which is under Centre," she added.

Palaniswami also tore into sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader TTV Dinakaran.

"Who is TTV Dhinakaran? He was not in party for past 10 yrs, only after Amma's death he has to come to the fore. He did not make me Chief Minister. It is my step by step contribution to the party that I became CM, all MLAs elected me," he said.

Earlier in the day, Dinakaran said attempts are being made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to destroy his family by using the Income Tax department.

Speaking to the media, Dinakaran said, "Arun Jaitley and Prime Minister Modi are trying to destroy our family using the IT department, which is under their control. We are not scared and we will not run away".

The IT department on late Friday night conducted raids at jailed Sasikala and her relatives' properties in Chennai's Poes Garden.

Soon after the raid, heavy security has been deployed to avoid any untoward incident.