AIADMK party symbol: Merger talks gain momentum

Chennai: Even as the ‘draft’ revolt is getting final touches through extensive consultations through Monday among the ‘rebels’ in the ruling AIADMK faction to cleanse the party of elements identified with high corruption, the Delhi police action against him could hasten the curtains for deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran and his aunt Sasikala lodged in Bengaluru jail. Their ejection could happen anytime, informed sources said.

The day saw hectic activity in the ruling party with Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai taking the role of lead negotiator to pressure TTV to step down. He was the one who had initiated the process telling TTV on Friday last that he should step down when he went to his residence along with a delegation of party ministers and senior functionaries. Though TTV insisted later at a media interaction that the party seniors had called on him only to greet him on Tamil New Year Day, sources told DC that a good many of them wanted him to step down and advise aunt Sasikala too to do likewise as only that would save the AIADMK from disintegration and the party symbol from being frozen.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami held consultations with senior ministers at his chamber in the morning to discuss the Delhi development and its impact on TTV’s fate. They were joined by Thambidurai. The ‘feedback’ from the OPS camp to the offer of merger was also discussed. The CM held a second long meeting with the seniors post-lunch. He asked the party headquarters to summon the legislators to the city, ostensibly to visit the naval ship INS Chennai Tuesday morning. The urgency to jettison TTV and Sasikala, according to sources, was linked to the April 7 tax raid on health minister C. Vijayabaskar, which blew open a shocking scam of bribing voters in the RK Nagar by-election. Since the documents seized in that raid reportedly had the names of CM Palaniswami and some of his senior colleagues, it was expected that they too would be summoned by the IT sleuths for questioning.

A graver reality was the strong possibility of the Election Commission, which had triggered the I- action, asking the CBI to probe the cash-for-vote scam revealed by the tax raids. “The ministers figuring in the raid documents could turn approvers. It appears that they had not really provided big money for the by-election but were only involved in the distribution work in the constituency”, said a source.

Another source said the ‘merger’ could happen “in a day or two but before that two major developments are expected—the ejection of Sasikala and TTV, and the dismissal of health minister Vijayabaskar from the Cabinet”. It is likely that ministers Udumalai Radhakrishnan, Kadambur Raju and R. Kamaraj may also be relieved as they figure in a police FIR for storming into Vijayabaskar’s house during the IT raid and allegedly trying to disrupt the taxmen’s work.

We are prepared for merger says OPS:

Former Chief Minister and rebel AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam has expressed confidence that the AIADMK Amma faction leaders will approach him for merger talks.  “We are prepared (for the merger). We have confidence that they will come,” Mr. Panneerselvam said on speculations about merger of the two AIADMK groups and that he was going to be made “general secretary.” He however said no one has approached him for it so far. “If approached, we are ready to sit and talk and I have confidence that they (leaders) will come (for talks),” he told reporters at the airport here.

His remarks assume significance in the backdrop of a section within the party opposing the continuance of party deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran. With Monday’s development especially the AIADMK Amma faction’s leader TTV Dhinakaran booked for allegedly trying to bribe an official of the election commission to regain the party’s Two Leaves symbol, has created a vacuum in leadership. On FIR against Dhinakaran, the former chief minister said he would comment on it after getting full information. Replying to a question, he said, only his faction would get the AIADMK party’s two-leaves symbol.

Priority is to unite AIADMK and redeem symbol, says Jayakumar:

“Our priority now is to ensure that Amma’s party remains united and the two-leaves symbol is protected. These were the main issues discussed at our meeting”, said finance minister D. Jayakumar after a marathon meeting of the senior ministers at the residence of electricity minister P. Thangamani late Monday night. Though he did not elaborate on it, his statement could only mean that the ministers discussed the statement made earlier by O. Panneerselvam heading the ‘rebel’ faction that he was willing to discuss merger and he had no pre-conditions. “We also discussed the modalities on carrying forward OPS’ offer (for merger talks)”, Jayakumar said. He pointed out that almost all the ministers, including Dr C. Vijayabaskar had come to the meeting, which showed that the Cabinet and the party “is very much united”. Asked if the ministers discussed the ouster of Sasikala and TTV Dinakaran, he said the issue did not figure in the talks and denied reports that Sasikala had resigned as party general secretary.  “We do not have any such information”, said Mr Jayakumar. “It’s a blatant lie”, screamed law minister C. V. Shanmugam.