Dinakaran faces arrest, AIADMK floats merger plan

THE DOOR appears to be closing on the political ambitions of T T V Dinakaran, AIADMK deputy general secretary and nephew of jailed party leader V K Sasikala, after Delhi Police registered an FIR against him for allegedly trying to bribe Election Commission officials through a middleman to obtain the party’s two-leaves poll symbol.

Sources in the AIADMK’S rulingsasikalafactiontold The Indian Express that they were discussing a number of scenarios to “safeguard” the party and government in Tamil Nadu, including a possible merger with the rebel group led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam. But all options, they said, had one common strand: Dinakaran must go.

A senior minister told The Indian Express that Dinakaran may resign on Tuesday after meeting Sasikala, who is lodged in a Bengaluru jail.

“A Delhi Police team is expected to meet Dinakaran in Chennai tomorrow and summon him to Delhi. If he gets arrested, the merger may happen with Panneerselvam being made the finance minister and given a key party post,” said the minister.

Late in the evening, Chief Minister E Palanisami summoned all AIADMK MLAS to attend a meeting in Chennai on Tuesday, said sources.

Also by evening, a rift appeared to have emerged within

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