Sideline Sasi: Vested interests helping Panneerselvam in stopping Dinakaran?

The man who, all this while, was battling head on with AIADMK's rival faction headed by O Paneerselvam at the hot seat called RK Nagar in Chennai, has suddenly hit the brakes. Until 2pm on April 17, all thought that TTV Dinakaran was still on fourth gear heading towards Bengaluru to meet his beloved aunt, also General Secretary of AIADMK, Sasikala. However, he has now literally and figuratively made a U turn.

The driving force behind the change of mind is the bribery allegation that clouds Dinakaran’s future. Let's not forget that Dinakaran is a man still fighting the FERA war. A non-descript conman from Bengaluru used as an agent to bribe the Election Commission with an alleged Rs 60 crores to pluck the 'two leaves' and own it does not seem to add up. This again raises the question about how vested interests who are using O Paneerselvam as their pawn are using or rather misusing bodies like the IT and crime branch to get Dinakaran and his family isolated.

Every knock on the door in Dinakaran's residence in Chennai is going to wrap him in fear. And Bengaluru seemed to be an escape route, with an added valid reason like Sasikala. While he did claim that he does not know anything about this agent arrested by the Delhi Crime Branch, the police did confirm being in possession of call records pointing to the discussions held between the two. As the prying media thronged the central prison in Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru, Dinakaran thought it was best to avoid being hawked.

Strategy 1: Stay under cover in Bengaluru and buy time. Since jail rules allow visitors only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Dinakaran who arrived in Bengaluru on Monday could delay receiving the Chennai-bound police officers at his doorstep. Enough time to also gain an anticipatory bail with sources suggesting his impending arrest in this case.

Strategy 2: Head back to Chennai and halt at O Paneerselvam's residence to arrive at a compromise formula. Speculation is that the Sasikala faction will retain Chinnamma at the helm of party affairs as the General Secretary, TTV Dinakaran will step down making O Paneerselvam as the deputy general secretary while E Palaniswamy continues as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Now, that explains the U turn. However, O Paneerselvam, who is acting at the behest of these suspected vested interests, want the family out.

Remember, Sasikala as Chinamma can be another Iron Lady of sorts, which can be detrimental to the political honchos who want to set base in Tamil Nadu. O Paneerselvam has said, "With issues like the IT raids, even bribery charges to get the two leaves symbol plaguing this faction, AIADMK should be saved from family rule."

Will this lead to Sasikala's vow at Amma's memorial getting buried just like Jayalalithaa's mortal remains?

• O Panneerselvam
• Sasikala
• TTV Dinakaran
• Parappana Agrahara
• AIADMK merger