With the O Panneerselvam faction hardening its stance and putting forward tough demands, the unification process between the warring groups in the AIADMK remained elusive by Thursday evening. But Tamil Nadu will see more raids on the residences of Ministers by the Central agencies (read Enforcement Directorate).
Sources close to top ED officials told The Pioneer that grilling of Health Minister Vijaya Bhaskar, Vice chancellor of MGR Medical University Dr Geetha lakshmi, cine actor Sarat Kumar and his wife Raadhika Sarat Kumar has revealed startling disclosures and more raids are sure to happen in the coming days. All the people, who had been raided prior to the RK Nagar bypoll, are close to TTV Dhinakaran and AIADMK (Amma) general secretary VK Sasikala.
Though the cadre of the AIADMK had expected some positive developments in the merger process, the Panneerselvam faction, which held a marathon meeting at Chennai on Thursday, took a tough stand which many fear would delay the unification.
KP Munusamy, the AIADMK strongman from the Kongunadu belt, who addressed the media after the meeting, minced no words and came down heavily on the Sasikala faction. “What we saw during the last two days was a drama scripted and staged by Sasikala, her husband Natarajan and her brother Divakaran. They know well that Dinakaran is in real trouble following the raids in Vijaya Bhaskar’s residences and business establishments. It is to save him they made the announcement that Dinakaran and Sasikala are being kept out of the party leadership,” said Munusamy.
He said the OPS faction is of the view that Edappadi Palaniswamy and other Ministers should inform the EC that Sasikala and Dinakaran were no more the general secretary and deputy general secretary of the party. “let them withdraw the affidavits they filed before the EC regarding their appointments. We want status quo in the party as well as in the Government. Our demand is that situation prior to the demise of Jayalalithaa should be maintained in the party,” said Munusamy.
If this is translated into action, all members of the Sasikala clan would have to be ousted from the party as none of them were members of the AIADMK till Jayalalithaa was alive. Munusamy also wanted Palaniswamy to order a CBI probe into the hospitalisation and demise of Jayalalithaa.
“There is an apprehension among the Panneerselvam camp that the present move by the Sasikala clan is an effort to get back the Two leaves symbol and name of the party which have been frozen by the EC. The question being asked is why Sasikala and Dinakaran are not being ousted from the party,” said a senior AIADMK observer in Chennai.
K Balakumar, editor, News Today and a respected commentator, is of the view that the Sasikala faction’s moves were shrouded in mystery. “Why should Dinakaran make an announcement that he and other family members would move out of the leadership without any pre-conditionsIJ There are doubts among the cadre. Now everything depends on how Panneerselvam plays his cards. There are four more years to the next Assembly election. A snap poll would lead to the destruction of both the factions. A pre-poll survey in RK Nagar had shown that Dinakaran would finish a poor third,” said Balakumar, who believes that the merger would happen even if it is delayed by some weeks.
Meanwhile, the decision of Palaniswamy to get rid of the red beacon from his car added colour to the merger talks. Thursday morning saw the CM himself removing the red beacon from his official car in presence of other Ministers and officials in the secretariat. “Perhaps he may be conveying to the OPS camp that the red light which stood against the merger process has been removed,” said a AIADMK (OPS) faction leader.
Interestingly, R Vaithyalingam, the Rajya Sabah member belonging to the Edappadi faction told reporters that their group has set no conditions for talks. “We are always ready for talks with the OPS group. We also do not have any pre-conditions for merger,” he said.