Twist in AIADMK merger: TTV Dhinakaran claims support of 40 MLAs, organises mass rally
- TTV Dhinakaran conducted a major rally and claimed support of 40 MLAs, who can topple the EPS government
- Palasiswamy just has support of just six MLAs above the simple majority
- Another faction of AIADMK led by O Panneerselvam has the support of 10 MLAs
FollowGiving a shock to Chief Minister E Palaniswamy (EPS), TTV Dhinakaran, the second in command of the AIADMK Party conducted a major rally and claimed support of 40 MLAs, who can topple the EPS government in Tamil Nadu.
This move by Dhinakaran is important as he was accompanied by 20 legislators and in total, CM Palasiswamy has the support of just six MLAs above the simple majority. Whereas another faction of AIADMK led by O Panneerselvam has the support of 10 MLAs.
With this equation, support of 40 MLAs to Dhinakaran, if proved, can bring down the EPS government in Tamil Nadu. Panneerselvam's help might come in handy if Dhinakaran has just 20 supporters, but his demand to remove Dhinakaran and Sasikala from their respective positions in the AIADMK party might put CM in trouble.
This is the first such major rally attended by 30,000 supporters held by Dhinakaran. By this, he has proved that Palaniswamy was made the CM because of the support of Sasikala and Dhinakaran cannot just brush them aside and enjoy the majority support.
However, Dhinakaran is out on bail and still, he has got the support of 30,000 people, and 20 MLAs (claims support of 40 MLAs) is a major development.
He was arrested following a complaint of him bribing the Election Commissioner to give the right of using the two leaves symbol to the faction he represented (Palaniswamy faction against Panneerselval group).
Now, the merger also is being initiated just because the party wants to fight elections with the official two leaves symbol. Currently, the symbol has been frozen by the election commission following the arrest of TTV Dhinakaran and the bribing issue.
Interestingly, both EPS and OPS factions met BJP seeking their help in merging the two factions of AIADMK. However, Dhinakaran's rally has brought another contender for the two leaves symbol, who claims the legitimacy to former CM Jayalalithaa's legacy as well as the party.
After Jayalalithaa's death on December 5, Panneerselvam who was the acting chief minister was removed from post by Sasikala, who claimed to be the President of the Party after the death appointed Palaniswamy as the CM as Panneerselvam demanded probe into Jayalalithaa's death and refused to budge to Sasikala's leadership.
Though Sasikala has been lodged in the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru in the disproportionate assets case, she is allegedly directing Dhinakaran, and it looks like both will not let Jayalalithaa's legacy slip away from their hands. Â
This EPS is left with little choice but to come under the gambit of TTV Dhinakaran and Sasikala if he wants to save the government.
DMK too is closely watching the developments and will leave no chance go wasted to remove EPS government from power.
