Wider cracks appear in AIADMK over Sasikala, Dinakaran's ouster

Hours after All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader and state Finance Minister D. Jayakumar announced that V.K. Sasikala and her nephew T.T.V. Dinakaran were decided to be 'delinked' from the party, several MLAs and Dinakaran supporters rallied behind him and denounced the former's statement.

"Former chief minister O. Panneerselvam, while going to Madurai, had said that he was ready for the merger without any conditions, which was acceptable to us. But when he imposed the condition today, we decided not to consider this. We will never accept this condition. Because it was T.T.V. Dinakaran, who gave a new direction to the AIADMK," party leader Nanzhil Sampath said here.

It's noted that Panneerselvam had put forth a condition that merger between the two factions would take place only if Sasikala and Dinakaran were ousted from the party.

Hinting that more leaders would join the Dinakaran camp, Sampath said, "In the coming two days, the AIADMK will emerge strongly under the leadership of Dinakaran. All party cadres, members and support Dinakaran. All the splitters would join Dinakaran."

Sampath also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that the AIADMK would not get bogged down by the pressure imposed by the saffron party.

Jayakumar's statement was also criticised by MLA P. Vetrivel, who said they would "never accept the decision."

Earlier, Jayakumar announced that a new committee was formed to administer the affairs of the AIADMK, adding that Sasikala and Dinakaran have been delinked from the party.

"We have decided to delink T.T.V. Dinakaran and his family from the party; a committee will run the party. This is a unanimous decision from the cadre," Jayakumar told the media.

Demanding the ouster of Sasikala and her nephew from the AIADMK, Panneerselvam said the party should not be controlled by one family, adding it was nothing short of treason to allow the former to control the party's affairs.

He said that he had sent a petition to the Election Commission to declare Sasikala's appointment as AIADMK general secretary 'illegal'.

"During the election campaigning in R.K. Nagar, many malpractices were done and Rs. 4000 were offered to each voter. We have submitted all this to the Election Commission yesterday and asked to inquire into the matter," Panneerselvam said.

He further said that Dinakaran, who was not even a member of the party till Jayalalithaa's demise, was tarnishing the AIADMK's image and added it wouldn't be tolerated.