Panneerselvam's 'no' to Sasikala family for AIADMK unity

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam is ready to unite the AIADMK provided the family of now jailed leader V.K. Sasikala is kept out of the party.

The Panneerselvam faction has also made it clear that he would be the AIADMK General Secretary as well as Chief Minister while incumbent Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, a Sasikala backer, can be his deputy.

"The basic condition is that family members of Sasikala should not be in the party," former AIADMK MP and Panneerselvam confidant K.C. Palaniswamy told IANS.

The nominees for other party posts "can be negotiated", K.C. Palaniswamy added.

Efforts are reportedly on to bring together the two factions of the AIADMK after Delhi Police filed a case against Sasikala's nephew and Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran for trying to bribe the Election Commission to allot his faction the frozen "two leaves" election symbol.

The Election Commission has also postponed the by-election to the state assembly from R.K. Nagar that was set for April 12 as it found that voters were bribed with cash. Dinakaran was the ruling AIADMK's candidate.

--IANS

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