Focus on development, say Oppn as AIADMK mulls merger

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress on Wednesday pooh-poohed the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) over its internal clashes and said this factionalism has been taking a toll on the development of Tamil Nadu.

Talking to ANI here, BJP general secretary Murlidhar Rao termed the AIADMK factionalism as an 'alarming' development.

He said that since the death of former chief minister Jayalalithaa, the people of Tamil Nadu are deprived of development for which they voted the AIADMK to power.

He refused to comment on the possible merger of the two factions of the AIADMK: O Panneerselvam (AIADMK - Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) and V K Sasikala (AIADMK - Amma).

He, however, demanded action against the people responsible for using money power in run up to the R.K. Nagar by-polls, which forced the Election Commission to cancel the elections.

Meanwhile, the Congress Party exhorted the AIADMK-led Tamil Nadu Government to concentrate on development.

Congress spokesperson Tom Vaddakan, however, expressed apprehensions that the 'merger exercise' may be an effort to win the R.K. Nagar by-polls.

He said if the merger was being made to win the election then it was unfortunate and won't help the AIADMK.

"So, the advice to the Tamil Nadu Government of the day is to abstain from any political brinkmanship and concentrate on development they have always promised," said Vaddakan.

Reports coming from Chennai suggest that efforts are being made to unite the AIADMK after Sasikala's nephew Dinakaran is marred in controversies: income Tax raid at his home and a bribery case against him filed by the crime branch of the Delhi Police.

Both factions have constituted two committees to mull the merger.

Reports say that key members of both factions have already arrived on a consensus that there will not be any Sasikala family members in both the party and in the government, which means Dinakaran will be shown the door.