There is talk of leadership change in the AIADMK as the Madras High Court is getting ready to pronounce the verdict on the petition filed by the 18 party MLAs who were disqualified by the Speaker last year under the provision of the anti-defection law.
A two-member division bench of the court had delivered a split verdict in June 2018 on the petition filed by the disqualified MLAs which necessitated the case being heard again by another judge. While the then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the disqualification order issued by Speaker P Dhanapal in September 2017, the other judge, M Sunder, struck it down.
Later, the case was referred to M Sathyanarayanan, the third judge who heard the petition and reserved orders on August 31. There is speculation that the judge would pronounce the verdict this week. If the judge upholds the Speaker’s decision, then Tamil Nadu has to go for by-election in the 18 constituencies. If the verdict allows the petition filed by the disqualified MLAs, the State is certain to see turmoil and political instability.
The 18 MLAs owe their allegiance to TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala, the jailed close aide of former chief minister Jayalalithaa. The number of dissident MLAs in the AIADMK has gone by another five or six during the last three months adding to the woes of chief minister Edappadi Palaniswamy who is in a precarious position due to the CBI probes into the Highways Department, a portfolio held by him and an investigation into the Gutkha scam.
It is reported unofficially that there is a move to make the two warring factions of the AIADMK to bury the hatchet and merge the groups. Though Dhinakaran had launched a separate party (AMMK), he has made it known that it was only a temporary arrangement and was a ploy to regain the command of the AIADMK.
“Discussions are on with leaders of both the factions to make them see the writing on the wall that internecine war would cost of them dearly as the DMK would be the only beneficiary in such a scenario,” said a BJP leader who is privy to the talks.
The name of KA Sengottaiyan, minister of school education in the Palaniswamy government , is going the rounds as the possible chief ministerial candidate . a close confidante of late Jayalalithaa, the Gobichettipalayam born Sengottaiyan is known as the least controversial leader in the AIADMK .
Interestingly he has not made any attack on the Sasikala family in spite of being in the government.
According to AIADMK insiders, Sengottaiyan is acceptable to the Sasikala clan also. It may be noted that Dhinakaran had declared sometime back that he was ready to accept anybody from the present lot of AIADMK MLAs as chief minister other than Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam.
The Pioneer had reported earlier that Subramanian Swamy MP, was working out the modalities to bring both the AIADMK factions together.