AIADMK factions blame each other for merger talks delay
Days after the two factions of AIADMK announced panels for the merger talk, the move hit yet another roadblock on Monday as both sides blamed each other for the “delay” in taking the proposal forward.
The O Panneerselvam led faction said the rival camp headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami was “in a state of confusion”, adding that some unseen hand was controlling it.
Rejecting the charges, the ruling camp asserted there was no confusion and it had already sent the invite for talks.
Meanwhile, the Panneerselvam camp has stuck to its demands of a CBI probe into the death of late chief minister Jayalalithaa and expulsion of General Secretary V K Sasikala, her nephew and Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran and other family members from AIADMK as a pre-condition for talks.
“If these demands are met, there will be no other condition from us,” KP Munusamy, key aide of former chief minister O Panneerselvam, said.
He said “confusing” statements were coming from various leaders of the CM’s camp even on the issue of forming the panel to hold the merger talks.
However, Palaniswami camp leader and Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam, who is heading the panel set up by the faction, said there was no confusion on their side.
The party had named senior ministers D Jayakumar, C Srinivasan, K A Sengottaiyan, P Thangamani, SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam as members of the panel, he said at a press meet at the AIADMK headquarters shortly after Munusamy met the media.
In signs of thaw on AIADMK merger move last week, the two sides had announced formation of committees for holding talks, but no headway was made in the last two days.
Finance Minister D Jayakumar had yesterday said he was prepared to vacate his ministry in favour of Panneerselvam if that would help forge unity of the party.
He had also said the doors for holding the merger talks were always open as the leaders were ready to discuss the issue “across the table”.
“I am willing to give up all portfolios held by me for the betterment of the party and for the party’s unity, after getting the approval of Chief Minister Palaniswami,” he said.