AIADMK merger heading towards final phase; TN CM to hold meeting today

Chennai: The merger talks between the two AIADMK factions are heading towards its final phase and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is convening a meeting of ministers and top leaders at party headquarters on Thursday to work out the modalities before finalising the pact in New Delhi.

Senior ministers including KA Sengottaiyan P Thangamani, SP Velumani, Dindigul C Seenivasan, D Jayakumar and other key functionaries would attend the meeting to be held in the morning.

According to the agreement, Palaniswami would continue as the Chief Minister and the ministers would continue in their posts. Former chief minister O Panneerselvam would lead the seven-member committee 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 finalising the agreement, the Chief Minister would go to Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of vice president Venkaiah Naidu. He would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders to finalise the merger modalities.

The BJP leadership is 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 Dhinakaran made arbitrary appointments for many of his supporters in the party, besides releasing a schedule of campaign tour.

There is intense pressure on both the groups since no one wants a general election and wanted to save the government. Dhinakaran had taken up the authority of making appointments for the party and said he had been authorised to make such moves by party general secretary VK Sasikala.