AIADMK merger backed by Centre

The BJP’s support for the merger of the two factions of the AIADMK is focused on three objectives of the Centre in mind, party leaders say.

Firstly, the Centre does not want a factional war involving three players — Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy, rival AIADMK leader O Paneerselvam and jailed leader V K Sasikala’s nephew T T V Dhinakaran — which they believe will upset the stability of the state government.

Secondly, the BJP top leadership have told the AIADMK factions that it doesn’t want the V K Sasikala-led group, represented by T T V Dhinakaran, to gain ground because of their standoff.

Thirdly, the BJP’s reading is that any instability of the state government will lead to fresh elections, which may be advantageous for the DMK, which is a key partner of the Congress-led Opposition alliance at the Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conveyed this to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and rebel leader O Panneerselvam in his interactions with them.

According to AIADMK officials, the prime minister felt that their fight benefits no one except the Opposition in Tamil Nadu and violates the mandate that Jayalalithaa managed to win despite her bad health.

Modi is believed to have told AIADMK leaders that a fresh election will not benefit anymore and that they should, therefore, patch things up so as to fulfil “Jayalalithaa’s mandate”.