AIADMK factions merge, OPS takes oath as dy CM
POTENTIAL THREAT? Sasikala set to be ousted, Dinakaran says will topple govt
Two factions of Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK merged on Monday with the induction of O Panneerselvam as the deputy chief minister but a third group threatened to pull down the government in the southern state.
The political turmoil that has roiled Tamil Nadu after chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death in December doesn’t seem to have ended with chief minister Edapaddi Palanisami and his predecessor Panneerselvam shaking hands at the party headquarters in the afternoon in front of hundreds of cheering workers.
“No one can separate us, we are all children of Amma,” declared Panneerselvam, invoking Jayalalithaa.
He may have celebrated too early.
Like he and Palanisami, a group of 18 MLAs, loyal to sacked deputy general secretary of the party TTV Dinakaran, went to Jayalalithaa’s memorial in the night. They “meditated” for 15 minutes and trashed the merger.
Sources said Dinakaran would on Tuesday meet governor C Vidyasagar Rao at 10am with his group and make their opposition to the ruling faction known, posing a potential risk to the government.
Dinakaran is the nephew of party general secretary VK Sasikala whose ouster from the AIADMK looks likely after the merger — the faction led by Panneerselvam wanted her out.
In Delhi, there was talk of the AIADMK, which has 13 members in the Rajya Sabha, joining the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The move will take the ruling coalition’s strength in the Upper House, where it is in a minority, to 98. Even with the Dravidian party on its side, the NDA won’t have the majority but an improved tally will allow it more manoeuvring space.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose BJP is said to have pushed the two factions to come together, hailed the merger.
“I congratulate Thiru O Panneerselvam & others who took oath today. I hope Tamil Nadu scales newer heights of progress in the years to come,” he tweeted.
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