AIADMK factions merge after 7 months, OPS back in TN govt as deputy CM

Chennai: Six months after the post-Jaya split, the two AIADMK factions merged on Monday following hard negotiations that saw former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam agreeing to be the deputy under incumbent Edappadi K. Palaniswami. The ‘sacrifice’ did not go unrewarded as Edappadi agreed to be the number-two in the party hierarchy after OPS who will now be the AIADMK coordinator.

OPS was given his familiar portfolio of finance, besides housing and a few other subjects. His loyalist and former school education minister Mafoi K. Pandiarajan is brought back into the cabinet albeit with the ‘minor’ portfolios of Tamil official language, Tamil culture and archeology.

While CM Palaniswami said the merger had dealt a “hammer blow” at those who dreamt they could squeeze gains out of the AIADMK problems, OPS said people would welcome this unity blessed by Amma’ soul. “A heavy burden has been lifted off my mind”, OPS said.

The merger happened at the AIADMK headquarters here early afternoon with a large turnout of the loyalists of both the factions cheering their leaders. After the handshakes and the media announcements that lasted about an hour, organising secretary R. Vaithilingam, MP, told reporters outside that the party general council would be convened soon to unseat V. K. Sasikala as general secretary.

That announcement triggered the explosion of the simmering revolt by the Sasikala group, captained by her nephew TTV Dhinakaran who had been recently divested of his party deputy general secretary post by the EPS. He had met his jailed aunt at the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru on Saturday to discuss strategy in the face of an imminent expulsion for both of them and with the guillotine now falling, the showdown erupted at the Jayalalithaa memorial by the Marina.

While TTV himself chose to stay at home, tweeting that doctors advised him to rest his sore throat and fever, 18 loyal legislators drove for a sit-in protest at the Amma memorial. Two others in his camp could not make it as they were away in their home constituencies. “We are meeting the Governor at 10 tomorrow morning”, Perambur MLA Vetrivel announced, ominously, after the 20-minute ‘dhyanam’.