EPS, OPS SPARRING CONTINUES

The panel to facilitate the merger of the two AIADMK factions was disbanded since Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami's camp "enacted dramas" and also after considering the people's views, the party's rebel leader O Panneerselvam said on Monday.

A day after he announced the decision to dissolve the panel to take forward unification of the rival factions, he accused the Palaniswami faction of "enacting dramas and not coming up with constructive action."

He said after the panels were constituted in April by the two sides to take forward the merger proposal "they (Palaniswami faction) continuously enacted dramas... we are not ready to stage dramas with them".

Neither constructive ideas nor action or confidence inspiring exchange of ideas happened to take the talks forward, the former chief minister told reporters here.

Panneerselvam said since people too were not in favour of a merger, the decision to disband the panel to facilitate unification was announced on Sunday.

Responding to a question, he said it would be proved soon that the "cadres are with us".

Targeting jailed AIADMK general secretary V KS a sikala and her deputy T TV Dhinakaran, he said according to the party bye-laws only the presidium chairman and treasurer were authorised to steer the party in view of Jayalalithaa's death, who was the duly elected party chief.

On retrieving the party headquarters and two-leaves symbol, he said the matter was pending with the Election Commission and a good decision was expected soon.

To a question on which party will they supported in the upcoming Presidential election, Panneerslevam said the party high command would take a decision after the nominees are announced.

When the state Assembly meets on June 14, his faction would take up "duties that the government had failed to do," he said.

On Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa trying to enter the late chief minister's Poes Garden residence, he said they considered the place where the former AIADMK chief lived a "temple".

While it was the view of the people and cadres that it should be made a "memorial," Panneerselvam, however, said "we have to wait and see" the legal position on the matter.

He condemned the alleged attack on a television crew when Deepa entered the Poes Garden residence of the late AIADMK supremo.