The AIADMK Amma and AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi have been in talks for the past two days about a proposed merger. The AIADMK Amma said they will open the gates to the rival O. Panneerselvam camp and exclude V.K. Sasikala from the party. These talks, however, turned sour and the parties started to fling insults at each other.
Throughout this drama, the party deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran had remained behind the screen. MLAs Thanga Tamilselvan and P. Vetrivel along with Dinakaran loyalists met the Chief Minister E. Palaniswami on Thursday. The ministers met the CM only after a meeting with Dinakaran at his Adyar residence in Chennai.
Vetrivel speaking to a popular news daily said the deputy general secretary had asked them to meet the CM and coordinate for smooth operations. Vetrivel insisted that “Dhinakaran will remain our deputy general secretary.” Amidst this, the OPS supporters said that this merger was a drama orchestrated by Sasikala and her husband Natarajan and brother V. Dinakaran.
OPS faction put forward three conditions to AIADMK Amma. This includes withdrawal of affidavit by the party making Sasikala the general secretary, a CBI investigation into the death and treatment of the late CM J. Jayalalithaa and making OPS Chief of the party and the State.
OPS also said that T.T.V. Dinakaran ousted from the party will be the first victory. Jayakumar reacted by saying, “Will he also say that he was the force behind Donald Trump’s victory?” The Law Ministers of AIADMK Amma, also said how could they withdraw affidavit when it was his faction that approached the Election Commission to challenge Sasikala’s appointment and to claim the two leaves Symbol.
