O Panneerselvam’s son and AIADMK’s lone MP OP Ravindranath who stands expelled from the party for several reasons including praising the MK Stalin-led DMK government, on Tuesday once again lauded a scheme launched by the ruling establishment on Monday which provides ₹1000 for girl students from government schools to pursue higher education.
“According to me, it’s a scheme which I welcome wholeheartedly,” said Ravindranath.
He added that it is motivational for students and similar to schemes rolled out by late former chief minister J Jayalalithaa who provided free laptops and cycles to students.
“AIADMK regime offered several such welfare schemes. The present government is giving ₹1000 which is good. I’d like to praise the honourable chief minister.”
Also Read:Stalin helping Panneerselvam as Palaniswami is DMK’s lone challenger: AIADMK
In this year’s budget 2022-23, the state government had said the marriage assistance scheme (introduced by late former chief minister Jayalalithaa) is being transformed into a Higher Education Assurance scheme and allotted ₹698crore.
Around 6lakh girl students are expected to benefit annually.
{{/usCountry}}Around 6lakh girl students are expected to benefit annually.
{{/usCountry}}Under this scheme, all girl students who studied from class 6 to 12 in government schools will be paid ₹1,000 monthly directly into their bank account till the uninterrupted completion of their undergraduate degree which is to primarily address the issue that girl students were not continuing education after school and to prevent child marriages.
Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS), the newly elected interim general secretary, had in August revealed that AIADMK cadres were irked when Ravindranath met Stalin for an hour in the secretariat and praised the ruling government.
Last week, deputy coordinator of the AIADMK, KP Munusamy went as far as accusing Stalin of helping OPS to bring down EPS as he could be the chief minister’s only contender. The DMK has so far denied this development.
After the chorus to abolish the dual leadership of Panneerselvam (OPS) as coordinator and EPS as joint coordinator began in the party, several leaders told HT that there were several reasons including OPS and his son’s affiliation with the DMK government when they are meant to oppose them as the main opposition of Tamil Nadu.
Eventually, the party ousted OPS, his two sons and all their supporters with EPS being the last man at the top.
OPS took his party issues to court and briefly received favourable orders but the latest Madras HC verdict favoured EPS as it agreed with his contention that he can no longer work with OPS. This is being challenged in the Supreme Court by OPS.
OPS wants to unite with everyone including EPS, V K Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran which he says will strengthen the AIADMK.
Ravindranath also reiterated the same on Tuesday.
“My intention is the same,” said Ravindranath. “We should make an effort to unite with Chinamma (Sasikala), TTV, whoever split and left to strengthen the AIADMK.”