AIADMK Merger Heading Towards Final Phase, TN CM To Hold Meeting Today:- The AIADMK merger talks between the two factions is heading towards its final phase.

TN State CM Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami at the party headquarters is convening a meeting of ministers and top leaders on Thursday to work out the modalities before finalizing the agreement in New Delhi.

The meeting is expected to be attended by Senior ministers including KA Sengottaiyan P Thangamani, SP Velumani, Dindigul C Seenivasan, D Jayakumar and other key functionaries. As per the agreement, the post of the Chief Minister would be continued by Palaniswami and the ministers would continue in their posts. The seven-member committee would be led by former Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, to manage the party affairs till the general council is convened and formal elections take place.

Three members from each of the factions would be nominated in the committee. The Chief Minister, after finalizing the agreement, would go to Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. To finalize the merger modalities, he would then meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders.

The BJP leadership is keen on the merger of the two factions and has pressed both the groups to complete the merger talks as early as possible. On Monday, the Chief Minister said he expected to see the merger very soon and his comments had come after the AIADMK (PTA) complained that the ruling group had not shown interest in the merger.

According to party sources, merger talks made much progress after AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran, besides releasing a schedule of campaign tour, made arbitrary appointments for many of his supporters in the party. Since no one wants a general election, there is intense pressure on both the groups and wanted to save the government. The authority of making appointments for the party was taken up by Dinakaran. He said that the party general secretary VK Sasikala, had given him the authority to make such moves.

SUPRAJA