AIADMK abuzz with talks of merger of factions: What we know so far

CM Palanisamy was absent in the meeting conducted by senior ministers

Senior ministers of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) met late on Monday evening to discuss various issues, including former chief minister O Panneerselvam’s call to stay united.

E Palanisamy, who was made chief minister after Panneerselvam was allegedly forced to quit, was not present in the meeting. 

Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary T T V Dinakaran went to Bengaluru to meet his aunt and party chief V K Sasikala, who has been in jail after the Supreme Court found her guilty in a disproportionate assets case. Earlier in the day, Delhi Police had filed a FIR against Dinakaran for attempting to bribe the Election Commission (EC) officials to get the party’s two-leaf symbol. The EC had frozen the symbol after rival factions — one led by Panneerselvam and the other by Sasikala — had staked claim to the symbol.

The issue of a symbol was also discussed in the late-night meeting, said D Jayakumar, Tamil Nadu finance minister. The second issue that was discussed was how to keep the party united. However, he did not clarify why all party MLAs have been called to the city on Tuesday. 

The MLAs were asked to come to be a part of a function to dedicate INS Chennai to the Indian Navy. But, said a party leader, something beyond that was in the offing as it was the CM’s office that had called the MLAs to come to Chennai. He also welcomed Panneerselvam’s idea of a merger of the two factions. He denied rumours that Sasikala has quit the party.

Panneerselvam had on Monday welcomed the idea of a merger of the factions. He had said his revolt was only against Sasikala and her family.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha M Thambidurai had said there would be disputes in a democracy and everyone should stand united to fulfil the dreams of the late party chief J Jayalalithaa.