AIADMK Factions Agree To Merge, Announcement Likely Next Week:- The two factions of Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK have agreed to merge in principle. The announcement of the merger may come early next week, a leading news channel quoted its sources as saying on Thursday.
Amid speculation that merger talks with the rebel O Panneerselvam camp has reached final stages, the Amma faction of the AIADMK met at the party headquarters in Chennai. The Amma faction of the AIADMK is led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy.
The merger talks were propelled by AIADMK Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran, trying to assert his position. Dinakaran is the nephew of party chief VK Sasikala. The meeting of ministers and top leaders on Thursday were convened to work out the modalities before finalizing the agreement in New Delhi.
The meeting was attended by Senior ministers including KA Sengottaiyan P Thangamani, SP Velumani, Dindigul C Seenivasan, D Jayakumar and other key functionaries. According to the agreement, Palanisamy would continue as the Chief Minister 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.
In the committee, three members from each of the factions would be nominated. After finalizing the agreement, the Chief Minister is now expected to embark for Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. He would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders to finalize the merger modalities.
The BJP leadership has been keen on the merger of the two factions and has pressed both the groups to complete the merger talks as early as possible. The Chief Minister on Monday 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.
There is intense pressure on both the groups since no one wants a general election and wanted to save the government. Dinakaran had taken up the authority of making appointments for the party and said he had been authorized to make such moves by party general secretary VK Sasikala.
SUPRAJA
