O Panneerselvam denied that allegations that he is trying to wrest power from Palaniswami.
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam yesterday said he does not wish to become Chief Minister through a 'shortcut'.
Panneerselvam denied the charge of TTV Dhinakaran, founder of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), made earlier that he had met the latter in July 2017 to topple the government led by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami.
Clarifying his position, Mr Panneerselvam said: "A common friend arranged a meeting with Dhinakaran in July last year. I agreed to meet Dhinakaran thinking that he was reformed and a changed person."
"But during the meeting, I realised that Dhinakaran wanted to capture power and the party with which I did not agree," Mr Panneerselvam said.
When the meeting took place, Mr Panneerselvam was against Palaniswami and V.K. Sasikala, the close aide of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and her nephew Dhinakaran.
Later in August 2017, Mr Panneerselvam and Mr Palaniswami joined hands and the former became the Deputy Chief Minister.
Mr Panneerselvam said he has no reason to topple the government now as he is the Deputy Chief Minister.
According to Mr Panneerselvam, the AMMK leader Dhinakaran wanted to create confusion within AIADMK and in the government.
"The common friend who had arranged the meeting with Dhinakaran today (Friday) apologised to me for setting up the meeting," Mr Panneerselvam added.
He added that Dhinakaran seems to be in a state of confusion as none of his plans to bring down the government has fructified.
Yesterday Mr Dhinakaran told media that Panneerselvam had met him in July last year seeking his support to bring down Palaniswami's government offering him a good post.
Mr Dhinakaran added that even last week Panneerselvam wanted to meet him through the common friend who had set up the meeting between the two last year.