I have no links or business with DMK: O Panneerselvam

Tamil Nadu's acting Governor Vidayasagar Rao's arrival in the state is uncertain for the time being

Interim Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said on Wednesday that he did not have any link with rival party Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) or with anybody in that party.

"I don't have any relations with DMK or with anybody in DMK," he said.

Panneerselvam said that everybody knew who had business interests with DMK, pointing to the alcohol company Midas which sought help to procure alcohol for Tasmac shops. Tasmac is state government run alcohol shop in Tamil Nadu.

"I was only being human, not animal," he said responding to the allegations by Sasikala and AIADMK ministers that DMK is behind him. AIADMK had said late Tuesday evening that a link between DMK and Panneerselvam was evident from the way the latter and the Opposition leader in the state Assembly exchanged smiles and kept looking at each other during an Assembly session.

Panneerselvam responded by saying only humans know how to smile, not animals.

Responding to Sasikala's decision to remove him from party posts, Panneerselvam added that only a cadres-elected general secretary can remove anybody from the party's post, so Sasikala's decision to remove him as treasurer of the party is not valid.

"The one who saves the party is the true leader", he said, adding that he would stay alone and fight.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu's acting Governor Vidayasagar Rao's return to the state is uncertain for now.