AIADMK merge: OPS to get party chief, Palaniswami to retain as CM

The stage is all set for the merger between AIADMK warring factions in Tamil Nadu on Monday (today) with the chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is expected to head the government while the rebel leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) is likely to get party chief's post after the unification.
 
The merger would also see reshuffling in the cabinet and well as in the party's post with Panneerselvam side is expected to get few ministerial berths including deputy
chief minister portfolio.
 
"Panneerselvam will be unanimously elected as the party chief shortly while Palaniswami will continue to be as chief minister", a senior party leader from Palaniswami
the group said on Sunday.
 
According to him, important portfolios like finance, PWD and housing will also be given to Panneerselvam's faction.
 
In addition, the new look AIADMK is also planning to sideline jailed V K Sasikala officially by convening office bearers meeting very soon for passing the resolution.
 
Though the AIADMK "Amma" faction headed by Palaniswami had recently announced that the appointment of TTV Dhinakaran as party deputy general secretary was null and void, the faction is yet to sideline Sasikala, which was the prime demand made by rebel group for the merger.
 
The merger between two groups was also possible after 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 with regard to
the merger.
 
Sources from Dhinakaran side said that they would move the court if Panneerselvam gets party's general secretary post. 
 
"Panneerselvam post was stripped our party's general secretary Sasikala. No one in the party has the rights to appoint or remove office bearers. New appointment without the consent of either Sasikala or Dhinakaran is illegal", a party senior cadre and the supporter of Dhinakaran said.