Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday said he expected to see the two AIADMK factions to merge soon. “I expect to see it (merger) soon”, he told reporters here without elaborating.
CM’s comment came close on the heels of the rival OPS-led group complaining that nothing much was heard from the ruling faction on the merger efforts. The group’s core team comprising JCT Prabhakar, former minister K.P.Munusami and ex-minister S. Semmalai, sounded bitter when stating a couple of days back that the EPS faction was not positively responding.
Informed sources said “much progress” has been made, actually, over the last couple of weeks —“ particularly in the past week since TTV’s bombshell appointments” — in the merger talks. “We can expect something concrete to emerge before the end of this week”, said a source, adding, “There is intense pressure on both the sides for the merger, thanks to TTV-Sasikala moves. Nobody wants a general election because everyone knows nobody will win; so they must save this government and prevent election”.
Party deputy general secretary Dhinakaran on Friday had announced appointing 60 office-bearers in the party, in addition to the existing 53, in an attempt to assert himself as the power-centre authorised to take all organisational decisions in the absence of aunt V.K. Sasikala, the general secretary jailed for corruption.
He had also announced embarking on statewide tour from August 14 "to strengthen the AIADMK", which effectively could mean consolidating his hold on the party that has gone through serious convulsions post-Jayalali-
thaa.
According to a widely circulated formula doing the rounds in the AIADMK corridors, EPS may continue as the CM while OPS will take charge of the party as the general secretary. An emergent meeting of the general council could be convened for passing the required resolutions, including one appointing a 'coordinating committee' to act as a link between the government and the party.
"OPS is most likely to be the chairman of this committee with the CM as the deputy chairman. The committee composition is being worked out.
EPS camp will have a couple of more members considering that it has a larger share of the general council even though OPS group claims it has the majority support of the party's rank and file, besides public goodwill", said a highly placed source.
Another source said efforts are on to pressure OPS to accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister with a couple of important portfolios, including home and finance. "OPS is reluctant to serve under EPS but he is being told it's good for him to be in the government in the long run", said the source.
