Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s latest tweet hinting at an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party has caused a stir in political circles. The tweet came a day after Panneerselvam, the leader of Puratchi Thalami (Amma) faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

“We will take a decision on alliance with BJP once local body elections are announced,” @OfficeofOPS twitter handle had tweeted on Saturday. However, the party later clarified saying it meant that a decision on an alliance “with any political party” will be made only after the announcement of local body elections.

S Semmalai, an AIADMK MLA and member of the OPS faction, said Panneerselvam’s answer to a question on alliance was misconstrued and tweeted as if an alliance with the BJP was in the offing, reported The Hindu. “Nowhere he said there would be an alliance with the BJP,” AIADMK MP V Maitreyan said according to the English daily.

Advertisement

On Friday, Panneerselvam had said the merger talks with Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami’s faction had ended as their demands to oust party general secretary VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran were not heeded to. Sasikala is in jail, after being convicted in an illegal wealth case. Dinakaran is also currently in custody for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official.

Panneerselvam met Modi on Friday and discussed various issues on the development of Tamil Nadu, the party said on Twitter.

On Friday, Tamil actor Rajinikanth had triggered speculation over his entry into politics with statements indicating that he is considering throwing his hat in the ring of state politics. “But when war comes, they will all join. You have work and duties. I also have duties now. But when war comes, we will take care,” the actor told his fans.