AIADMK wrestles with merger minus Sasikala
SHOWN THE DOOR? Decision taken at meeting of 20 ministers
A move to oust Sasikala clan from the AIADMK party has been set in motion at a meeting of ministers held late on Tuesday night.
Finance and fisheries minister D Jayakaumar announced after the meeting of over 20 ministers at the secretariat that Sasikala and her family will have nothing to do with the party or the government.
“We have decided to come together (with OPS) in the overall interests of the party and to retrieve the two leaves symbol that has been frozen by the election commission,” Jayakumar said after the meeting attended by chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswami as well.
However, MLAs loyal to Sasikala and Dinakaran, were still defiant about supporting them.
The EPS camp also formed a nine-member committee to negotiate with the OPS camp and finalize the modalities of the merger.
“The decision to merge was taken to ensure that the party did not break. The party should stand united and move forward and the move to sideline Sasikala clan was to ensure that the party and the government did not fall into the hands of one family,” Jayakumar said adding that the decision was taken in deference to the wishes of thousands of cadres.
A senior AIADMK leader Vaidyalingam said “focus will be on good governance and fulfilment of Amma’s polices and programmes.”
According to the OPS camp, the move is a welcome development as there are chances of OPS becoming the chief minister once again.
However officially, the issue has not yet been raised. “Only if both the conditions – Sasikala and her family’s ouster and a probe into Jayalalithaa’s death – are accepted will any merger talks be held,” said senior OPS camp leader O Ponnaian.
Party should stand united and move forward and the move to sideline Sasikala was to ensure that the party and government did not fall into the hands of one family.
One of the conditions has already been met, as per the announcement of the finance minister Jayakumar.
“If OPS comes for negotiations and merger talks tomorrow, we are ready for it,” Jayakumar said adding that “we will all work together to get back the two leaves symbol.”
“From the party and government, the Sasikala family will be completely kept aside, this has been decided by all of us together, that the party and government should not go into the control of one family. To this effect a decision has been taken. One team will be formed to look after the functioning of the party, AIADMK and another team will be formed to have talks with OPS whenever he comes,” Jayakumar said.
However, these merger talks were dismissed as of no consequence by Dinakaran supporters who claim that all the MLAs and ministers were behind Sasikala and her family.
Earlier in the day,a flurry of activity was witnessed with chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswami confabulating with key party functionaries and ministers on the merger and its modialities. Former chief minister O Panneerselvam however, upped the ante and imposed stiff conditions.
“Sasikala and Dinakaran must be ousted for any merger to take place,” the former chief minister demanded, adding there must be a probe into the death of J Jayalalithaa.
“I have not budged an inch from my position, which I took when I revolted against Sasikala. The party and the government cannot be in the hands of one family,” Panneerselvam said. He was scheduled to return to Chennai, but chose to stay away.
Dhinakaran reportedly rejected the proposal outright. Dhinakaran was met by KA Sengottiyan, party floor leader in Assembly and key ministers who briefed him about the minis about OPS’ conditions.