No revolt against me, no demand for sacking minister: Dhinakaran

Rallying behind embattled Tamil Nadu Minister C Vijayabaskar, AIADMK (Amma) faction leader TTV Dhinakaran on Friday said no demand has been made by Chief Minister K Palaniswami or his colleagues to drop him.

Dhinakaran also termed as 'rumours' the reports of a revolt against him by some ministers and ruled out any immediate shakeup in the two-month old Palaniswamy cabinet.

"There is no such information, it could be a rumour," he said. The AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary's comments came amid reports in a section of media that Palaniswami and some other ministers wanted the Health Minister Vijayabaskar to be dropped following the Income Tax searches at his premises here and in Pudukottai.

The IT searches against Vijayabaskar, a Dhinakaran's loyalist, and against actor-politician R Sarath Kumar of AISMK, an AIADMK ally, has prompted the opposition to mount a strong attack on the ruling dispensation.

DMK Working President M K Stalin has petitioned Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao seeking dismissal of Palaniswami and Vijayabaskar, whose names were reportedly linked to money distribution to voters before the now-cancelled R K Nagar Assembly bypoll.

Election Commission had cancelled the April 12 polls, necessitated due to of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's demise, citing use of money power in the constituency here.

The AIADMK deputy general secretary, who is steering the party in absence of the jailed party chief and his aunt V K Sasikala, also indicated all was well in the party.

"He (Vijayabaskar) has said there is no mistake on his part. Opposition parties will keep making demands (for his sacking). When there is no mistake on his part, how can he be removed (from the cabinet)?" Dhinakaran asked reporters.