PM's word spurred AIADMK factions to resume merger talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's word to the warring AIADMK leaders to effect a patch-up has apparently spurred them to revive efforts to merge their factions.

Modi's "friendly counsel" to Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and rival AIADMK leader O Paneerselvam was said to have been made during their separate meetings with him in Delhi recently, a key AIADMK functionary said.

The functionary's assertion came in the context of sudden spurt in political activity in Chennai on Thursday. Signalling a step closer to the rebel faction led by Panneerselvam,  the ruling faction of AIADMK headed Palaniswami on Thursday passed a resolution against party deputy general secretary and VK Sasikala’s nephew, TTV Dhinakaran, by declaring recent party appointments he made last week null and void.

The resolution, however, stopped short of expelling him and Sasikala from the party, which is one of the main pre-condition of the OPS camp for the merger.  But it said the appointment of Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary, who was expelled from the party once by Jayalalithaa, is not acceptable.

With Palaniswami and Paneerselvam arriving in Delhi on Thursday evening to take part in Friday's swearing-in ceremony of new Vice-President elect Venkaiah Naidu, there was speculation as to whether they could have a meeting of sorts to thrash out the sticky points standing in the way of a merger.

The PM said to have conveyed to both the leaders that they should keep in mind the political stability of the state government and not let a sense of drift prevail because of the demise of their leader and former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa last December.
Interestingly, neither faction is ready for a fresh poll when four more years are left before the next assembly polls. Also, their political future has been hanging in balance after the Election Commisssion recognised their split but froze the "two leaf" poll symbol of the AIADMK following their competing claims.
The BJP's interest is to ensure that a unified AIADMK backs the NDA government on crucial issues in Parliament while allowing the saffron party to organise itself in Tamil Nadu. It may even welcome the entry of the AIADMK in the Modi government. Also, the BJP is not keen on early assembly poll as its unit is hardly in a position to gain electorally, party officials say.

A merger may facilitate both the sides to reach an agreement to aproach the EC afresh for defreezing the symbol. But, for that to happen, both sides need to work out a formula that would take care of the interests of Palanisami and OPS.

Palanisami is unwilling to give up the CM's post. He is said to have offered to OPS  the post of deputy CM. But this proposal is not acceptable to OPS who was CM from December 6, 2016 to February 16, 2017 when he was replaced by Palanisami on the orders of Sasikala.

Interlocuters are said to have come up with alternative proposals including one that envisages OPS as "working general secretary" of the AIADMK while letting Palanisami stay on as CM. That would mean Palanisami manages the government while the party is controlled by OPS.  Also, if OPS agrees to be deputy CM, he could have the portfolio of home.  OPS can then take credit for acting on one of the maindemands of the OPS --for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, party insiders said.

But a worry for Palanisami is that Dhinakaran has warned  he would try to topple his government with the support of 37 MLAs supporting Sasikala. Currently, the state government has only 123 MLAs against the minimum number of 118 required to stay on in office.

But if Palanisami and OPS patch up, they should be able to stave off the threat posed by Dhinakaran. They can together ensure that all AIADMK MLAs stay back with the faction that has majority and power, with the BJP government at the Centre acting as a benefactor, AIADMK leaders said.

Dhinakaran has faced a challenge from senior AIADMK leaders ever since he was was named deputy general secretary by his aunt Sasikala, who is currently lodged in a Bengaluru prison after being convicted in the disproportionate assets case. In June this year, Dhinakaran got bail in a case in which he was charged of trying to bribe Election Commission officials for obtaining the AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ symbol in the RK Nagar bypoll. Dinakaran was the party candidate in the bypoll necessitated by the death of Jayalalithaa. The poll was later countermanded.