TN Finance Minister Jayakumar offers to resign, give portfolios to OPS camp

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister D Jayakumar on Sunday offered to resign so that his portfolios can be allocated to the Panneerselvam camp, in what is being seen as a goodwill gesture by the Edappadi K Palanisamy faction.

"If someone has to sacrifice for the welfare of the party, let it be me. I am ready to forego my portfolios for them," Jayakumar said on Sunday, perhaps in an indication that Palanisamy's Chief Ministerial post will not be negotiable.

The warring factions of the AIADMK are expected to begin merger talks on Monday evening.

"The majority Edappadi K Palaniswamy government will complete its full term," minister DC Sreenivasan was quoted as saying by NDTV.

“The merger deal has been sealed and formal talks will begin now between the senior leaders of both factions to finalise and announce the decision. Palanisamy will step down for Panneerselvam, and become the party chief. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, whose properties were raided by Income Tax officials, may be dropped from the cabinet. Former minister and MLA Senthil Balaji may be inducted along with one or two more faces from southern Tamil Nadu,” a senior AIADMK leader was quoted as saying by Indian Express on Saturday. However, the fresh developments contradicted Saturday’s report.

Both the E Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam factions have each appointed a 7-member committee to begin talks. While the Panneerselvam camp has demanded the resignation of AIADMK (Amma) chief VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, the Palanisamy camp has said it has no preconditions for talks.

Dhinkaran however, stated last week that he would only resign after speaking to Sasikala, who is lodged in a Bengaluru jail. The AIADMK deputy general secretary is being interrogated by the Delhi Police for allegedly trying to bribe Election Commission officials for ownership of the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol of the party.