AIADMK War: OPS Faction Ends Merger Talks With EPS Camp

The committee had been formed on 21 April, but failed to reach any form of consensus on a merger.

O Panneerselvam freezes merger talk with rival EPS faction. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Chennai Vision)

AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi) faction head O Panneerselvam on Sunday announced that he is dissolving the seven-member panel formed in April to hold merger talks with the rival AIADMK (Amma) faction.

Panneerselvam's announcement reportedly came after functionaries demanded a decision regarding the merger, which had hit a roadblock.

According to reports, the OPS camp, which presently has 12 MPs and 11 legislators, pointed out that the EPS faction has not honoured their conditions for a merger. There was no move to expel party chief VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, nor was there a CBI probe initiated into the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Also Read: OPS Halts Merger Talks, Tells EC EPS Camp Can’t Use AIADMK Office

In addition to this, several legislators belonging to the Edappadi Palaniswami faction visited TTV Dhinakaran right after he came back to Chennai on bail. They further reiterated their stand that Dhinakaran remains the Deputy General Secretary of the party.

The committee had been formed on 21 April, but failed to reach any form of consensus or hold formal discussions on a merger. The AIADMK split into two factions after its General Secretary VK Sasikala attempted to appropriate the chief ministership from O Panneerselvam. When she was convicted in the disproportionate assets case, she made EPS the chief minister and her nephew Dhinakaran the Deputy General Secretary.

Dhinakaran, when released from prison, scoffed at the failure of both faction successfully merging and reportedly said, "Even 45 days after I left, the merger hasn't happened. Now I should save the party and the government."

Also Read: Both AIADMK Factions To Back BJP Presidential Candidate?

(The story was first appeared on The News Minute and has been republished with permission.)