Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam rejected on Friday accusations that he was trying to oust Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami stating that he has no plans to sabotage the government.

Panneerselvam’s statement came on the day Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dinakaran claimed that the Deputy CM met him in September to discuss ways to remove Palaniswami from power.

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Addressing media persons, Panneerselvam admitted that he did meet Dinakaran because of a common friend.

“I am continuing a Dharamyudha to keep out Sasikala family from both the Party and government. I met him (TTV Dinakaran) only after our common friend arranged a meeting,” Panneerselvam was quoted as saying by ANI.

“I thought he might have changed but he is continuing with low-level politics,” he added.

Dinakaran, who has been vowing to unseat Palaniswami since he was sidelined last year, also said Panneerselvam offered to make him the chief minister.

Dinakaran’s attempt at creating a political storm in the state was quickly countered by the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

He said that Panneerselvam had met him in July last year and sent a word through a common friend that he wanted to meet him again in September-end this year.

“He (Panneerselvam) wanted to meet me to oust the chief minister,” Dinakaran told reporters a day after his close aide and one of the disqualified MLAs Thanga Tamilselvan made similar claim during a TV debate.

Accusing him of trying to create confusion in the party, Electricity Minister P Thangamani countered saying that Dinakaran recently offered to merge his AMMK with AIADMK.

Thangamani said Panneerselvam had revolted against the “very family,” referring to that of Sasikala, and joined hands with Palaniswami to deliver a pro-poor government.

“They (members of the Dinakaran camp) tried to topple the government for the last one year and therefore he is making such charges now to create confusion. But the big secret is, a month back there was a request from Dinakaran that his outfit be merged with AIADMK,” he told reporters.

An AIADMK spokesperson accused Dinakaran – a nephew of ousted leader VK Sasikala – of making such comments to keep his flock together.

RM Babu Murugavel said that Dinakaran was making such claims in the event of the Madras High Court upholding the disqualification of 18 AIADMK legislators who had sided with him.

The 18 AIADMK MLAs had been disqualified by Speaker P Dhanapal last year for expressing lack of confidence in the chief minister.

Panneerselvam had merged his faction in August last year with the group led by Palaniswami.

Dinakaran said he was revealing the information now since Panneerselvam was being critical of him in public even while “trying for a rapprochement” and asserted that the latter cannot deny meeting him.

He had defeated AIADMK nominee in the December 2017, RK Nagar bypoll, necessitated by the death of late chief minister and party supremo J Jayalalithaa.

(With inputs from agencies.)