EPS talks tough to Dhinakaran: AIADMK warring factions to unite again?
- Chief Minister K Palaniswami has raised objections on the appointment of Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary.
- He termed TTV Dhinakaran, as “improper, unacceptable and invalid”
- This is the first time EPS has made a categorical assertion about the status of Dhinakaran's appointment by his aunt Sasikala.
FollowIn what is being perceived as an effort to bring the two warring AIADMK factions in Tamil Nadu closer, Chief Minister K Palaniswami raised objections on the appointment of Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary.
The statement from CM Palanisami is being interpreted as a sign of an impending merger, which will finally cap the unending political drama in Tamil Nadu. On Thursday, Edappadi Palanisami chaired an hour-long party meeting, where he declared the appointment of TTV Dinakaran, nephew of VK Sasikala, as “improper, unacceptable and invalid”
This is the first time that the chief minister has made a categorical assertion about the status of Dhinakaran's appointment by his aunt Sasikala on February 14 just ahead of her incarceration. The Panneerselvam camp has from the beginning been calling for the expulsion of both Sasikala and Dhinakaran and had set that as a re-conditions for the possibility of a merger.
The move in both camps is being perceived as coming one step closer to a merger of the two camps by easing out Sasikala and Dhinakaran.
Noting that Dhinakaran's appointment was also under the scrutiny of the Election Commission, the AIADMK (Amma) led by Palaniswami wondered how Dhinakaran could make new appointments at such a juncture.
On August 4 Dhinakaran had made several appointments including that of his loyalists to various party posts. Citing it, a communique to the party cadres, said the
meeting also asserted that such appointments were done by him "will not bind any AIADMK cadre to create unnecessary confusion in our party and such appointments are not valid under party law. Cadres are requested to reject them."
Significantly, the meeting said "Though Sasikala's appointment as general secretary was till such time the formal election of a new general secretary as per party laws, she could not function in view of extraordinary circumstances," an apparent reference to her getting jailed in the disproportionate assets case in February last.
Also, Sasikala's appointment was challenged and it is pending in the EC, the meeting noted. Under such circumstances, the party was being run by top functionaries appointed by Amma (a reference to the camp led by Palaniswami), it said.
The OPS camp is yet come out with a formal statement. However, sources in the AIADMk are of the view that both EPS and OPS will be holding a meeting in Delhi on August 11 where the two leaders will reach a consensus.
(With PTI inputs)
