Sasikala & Co. asked to quit AIADMK in two days
The clock has started ticking for the V.K. SasikalaT.T.V. Dhinakaran duo with a major proportion of their AIADMK faction literally putting them on notice.
The senior leaders, who have raised the banner of revolt against the family, have given two days for Ms Sasikala and Mr Dhinakaran to quit from their posts in the AIADMK and warned of sidelining them if they don’t step down before the deadline.
After asking Mr Dhinakaran and Ms Sasikala to quit their posts to ensure that both factions of the AIADMK unite, a group of senior ministers is expected to meet the party deputy general secretary again on Tuesday to reiterate their demand.
“We have given them two days to get back to us. When we meet Mr Dhinakaran on Tuesday, we will once again place our demand asking him and his aunt to step down from their party posts. If they resign, it is good. If they don’t we will sideline them. There is no going back on our decision,” a senior minister in the Edappadi K. Palanisami government told this newspaper.
The minister said their only motto is to reclaim the party’s magical “Two Leaves” symbol and ensure that the party-led government continues the good work initiated by late Amma.
The leaders, who are against the leadership of Ms Sasikala and Mr Dhinakaran, feel the former chief minister, O. Panneerselvam, would have no problem in coming back to the AIADMK if the Sasikala family ceases to be in the party.
“I think the only reason for Mr Panneerselvam to rebel against the party was the leadership of Sasikala. If the family quits the leadership, I don’t think he will continue as a separate faction. The former chief minister also wants to save the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol and hence we will function as one party like we did when Amma was alive,” the minister said.
Another senior leader said that once the family is sidelined from the party, formal talks would be launched with Mr Panneerselvam and leaders of his factions on the merger of the two factions.
“During the talks it will be decided who will head the government, who will head the party and other modalities. Right now, the only focus is to unite the party and reclaim the symbol,” the senior leader said told this newspaper here.
The revolt by the ministers of the Sasikala camp comes a week after Income-Tax department officials raided the premises of health minister C. Vijayabaskar, cancellation of the RK Nagar byelections and reopening of the FERA trial against Mr Dhinakaran.
We have given them (Sasikala and Dhinakaran) two days to get back to us. When we meet Mr Dhinakaran on Tuesday, we will once again place our demand asking him and his aunt to step down from their party posts. If they resign, it is good. If they don’t we will sideline them. There is no going back on our decision — SENIOR MINISTER IN TAMIL NADU CABINET