JOIN USOPS may be party chief, Palani to continue as CM
The stage is set for the merger between the AIADMK warring factions in Tamil Nadu on Monday. While Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is expected to head the government, rebel leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) is likely to get the party chief’s post after unification.
The merger would also see a reshuffe in the Cabinet as well as in the party’s structure with the OPS camp expected to get some ministerial berths, including the deputy chief minister’s portfolio.
“Panneerselvam will be unanimously elected as the party chief, while Palaniswami will continue to be the chief minister,” a senior party leader from the Palaniswami group said on Sunday.
According to him, important portfolios like finance, PWD, and housing will also be given to the OPS faction.
In addition, the new AIADMK is also planning to sideline jailed V K Sasikala officially by convening an office-bearers meeting soon for passing the resolution.
Though the AIADMK (Amma) faction headed by Palaniswami had recently declared the appointment of T T V Dhinakaran as party deputy general secretary as null and void, the faction is yet to sideline Sasikala, which was the prime demand by the rebel group for merger.
The merger between the two groups was also possible after the Palaniswami government gave in to another key demand of former chief minister Panneerselvam and ordered a judicial probe into the “mysterious” death of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.
Meanwhile, “ousted” AIADMK leader Dhinakaran convened an emergency meeting with his few supporting MLAs and discussed the developments.
Sources from Dhinakaran’s side said that they would move court if Panneerselvam gets party’s general secretary post.
DH News Service