Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran on Friday claimed that Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam wanted to meet him in September to oust Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has rejected the accusation, PTI reported.

Dinakaran also claimed that Panneerselvam had regretted rebelling against former AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala last year, and had offered to make him the chief minister.

Dinakaran said Panneerselvam had met him in July last year, and sent word though a common friend in September this year that he wanted to meet again, but he refused. Dinakaran said he was speaking out at this time because the deputy chief minister was publicly attacking him.

Dinakaran’s claims corroborated those made by disqualified Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam AMMK MLA Thanga Tamilselvan on Thursday. “Again last week, [Panneerselvam] contacted the builder-friend and requested him to arrange a meeting with TTV sir [Dinakaran],” Tamilselvan said, according to The Hindu. But the “builder-friend” declined the request because the July 2017 meeting was inconclusive, he added.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK denied Dinakaran’s allegations on Friday. Electricity Minister P Thangamani alleged that Dinakaran had offered to merge his party with the AIADMK.

Panneerselvam agreed to have met Dinakaran but said it was only after a “common friend” arranged the meeting. “I thought he [Dinakaran] might have changed but he is continuing with low-level politics,” he said.

Panneerselvam described Dinakaran’s allegations as a “plot” to create confusion, reported The News Minute. “TTV thinks that he can create confusion between us, Edapadi Palaniswami and me,” said Panneerselvam. “After we merged with the EPS faction, there has been no contact with TTV.”