Though everything was ready for a “shotgun marriage” between the factions headed by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam late on Friday, the wedding did not materialise as the main protagonists refused to make a joint appearance or a joint statement.
There was high drama in Chennai as hundreds of AIADMK workers waited near the Jayalalithaa Memorial at Marina Beach in anticipation of the culmination of the seven-month long factional war between the two warring groups. It was unofficially announced earlier in the day that the two leaders would drive down to the Jayalalithaa Memorial, offer floral tributes to the late leader and make the announcement about the merger by 7.30pm. But even at the time of going to Press, there was no word about the merger or any joint statement.
Sources privy to the talks told The Pioneer that the merger was called off following stiff opposition from three senior leaders of the Panneerselvam faction about the position to be offered to the latter. Member of Parliament V Mythreyan, former Minister KP Munusamy and former MP Manoj Pandian were adamant that the post of general secretary should be offered to Panneerselvam, a demand which the EPS faction was not ready to accept.
Earlier in the day, the group led by VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran issued a veiled warning to OPS and EPS that their unity would not last long.
On Friday morning, Dinakaran, who was eased out of the post of deputy general secretary of the party by Chief Minister Palaniswami, travelled to Bangalore to greet his aunt Sasikala (undergoing four
years imprisonment at Parappana Agrahara in connection with the Disproportionate Asset Case) on her 63rd birthday.
The aunt-nephew duo was closeted for more than 90 minutes.
Dinakaran, who came out of the meeting, told the reporters that he welcomed the probe ordered by Chief Minister Palaniswamy into the death of Jayalalithaa. But what he revealed later has caused shock in both the OPS and EPS camp.
When asked about the possible merger between OPS and EPS, Dinakaran said he welcomed the move if it would bring unity in the party.
“There are sleeper cells of MlAs owing allegiance to me in both the factions. They will come to me if they find the going tough and this would send the merged entity into haywire,” said Dinakaran.