No rebellion in party, says Dhinakaran, to meet Sasikala in jail today

Chennai: AIADMK (Amma) Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran will on Monday meet his aunt and party chief VK Sasikala, who is serving her jail term in Bengaluru central prison in disproportionate assets case.

The meeting assumes significance as it will follow the rebellion by the majority of leaders in AIADMK (Amma), who have asked them to quit their posts to pave the way for uniting both factions of the AIADMK.

Dhinakaran has, however, dismissed the rebellion within the party, NDTV reported.

"I am meeting general secretary Sasikala at the Bengaluru jail. It's a routine meeting," NDTV quoted Dhinakaran as saying. "There is no rebellion against me, there is no threat to my leadership. There is no question of quitting,” he added.

The senior lawmakers and leaders had raised the banner of revolt against the family and gave Sasikala and Dhinakaran two days to quit from their posts in the party after he was accused of corruption.

After asking Dhinakaran and Sasikala to quit their posts to ensure that both factions of the AIADMK unite, a group of senior ministers is expected to meet the party deputy general secretary again on Tuesday to reiterate their demand.

“We have given them two days to get back to us. When we meet Mr Dhinakaran on Tuesday, we will once again place our demand asking him and his aunt to step down from their party posts. If they resign, it is good. If they don’t we will sideline them. There is no going back on our decision,” a senior minister in the Edappadi K Palanisami government told Deccan Chronicle. 

Dhinakaran, who was booked by Delhi Police for allegedly trying to bribe an Election Commission official, has, however, denied the allegations and vowed to fight the case legally.

Meanwhile, Dhinakaran has claimed that efforts were being made to "destroy our organisation politically".

"I will answer if I get summons. I will face it legally. How does a broker or somebody say the money was from TTV Dhinakaran? I don't know anybody by that name nor have I come across any such name in my life," he told reporters here.

"Such information is being spread to destroy our organisation politically. It is basically wrong to say that Sukesh has spoken to me. I don't know any such person. I don't know what is the plan and who is doing it," Dhinakaran, on his way to meet his aunt and jailed party chief Sasikala at Bengaluru, said.