OPS FACTION HARDENS STANCE FOR MERGER TALKS

CHENNAI: Hardening its stance for merger talks, the Panneerselvam camp on Thursday demanded that the faction led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami formally expel AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran besides about 30 other members of their family from the party.

Talks for merger between the two factions appeared to have hit a roadblock with the former chief minister Panneerselvam’s camp laying down conditions including a CBI probe into the the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa’s death.

A top leader of the former Chief Minister’s camp, K P Munusamy said the first demand was getting Sasikala and Dhinakaran’s resignation and later their formal expulsion along with 30 other members of their family.

Panneerselvam also wanted withdrawal of affidavits submitted to the Election Commission declaring Sasikala and Dhinakaran as party general secretary and deputy general secretary, respectively.

He also wanted the state government to recommend a CBI probe to go into the circumstances that led to Jayalalithaa’s death in December last year.

Only if such conditions are met, can there be a scope for talks to pave the way for merger, Munusamy said.

On the aunt-nephew duo being ousted (by Palaniswami camp) on April 18 after a meeting of senior ministers, a key demand of Panneerselvam, Munusamy, however, suspected “foul play” behind it.

“Only your (Palaniswami camp) conscience knows how you did that,” he said.

Further he said, “Only you (Palaniswami camp) know the reason, (for sidelining Dhinakaran.)

“We are getting information that since he (Dhinakaran) was entangled in several cases, in order to free him, Sasikala’s family has used them (Palaniswami camp),” he claimed.

Stating that only under such circumstances Dhinakaran has been kept away, Munusamy said in keeping with AIADMK party practice, a party notification should be issued on Dhinakaran and Sasikala family’s expulsion.