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AIADMK factions merged; OPS gets deputy CM

Last Updated 21 August 2017, 20:39 IST

Amid a hectic political drama, the two warring AIADMK factions in Tamil Nadu announced their merger on Monday with rebel group leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) joining Edappadi K Palaniswami's cabinet as deputy chief minister, a newly created post.

The new look AIADMK also decided to convene a general council meeting to formally adopt a resolution expelling V K Sasikala, the jailed party chief,  and her nephew T T V Dhinakaran, the second in command in the party. This was the key demand of the OPS faction for the merger.
 
Dhinakaran, who is said to have the support of about 18 MLAs, chaired a meeting to discuss the next course of action. Sources from his camp said they would move the court against the merger.

The Opposition DMK is planning to move a no confidence motion against the government headed by Palaniswami. DMK sources said that senior leaders of the party will be meeting the governor in this regard soon.
 
The unification of the two groups came after a series of marathon deliberations between both groups - AIADMK "Amma" led by Palaniswami and rebel group headed by OPS - during the last few days.
 
Soon after arriving at an amicable solution, Panneerselvam went to AIADMK headquarters in the city for the first time in six months, where he met Palaniswami and formally merged his faction.
 
Hundreds of party cadres, who thronged the AIADMK office, gave a rousing welcome to Panneerselvam. "It is an historic event. We will all work together in the future to retrieve the party's two leaves symbol", Palaniswami said and announced that Panneerselvam will also be the party coordinator.
 
The chief minister also announced that a steering committee, comprising 11 members, would be constituted soon to guide the party and the government.
 
Addressing the gathering at the party headquarters, Panneerselvam said, "We will be united. No one can divide us in the future". He also thanked Palaniswami for his efforts in uniting the two factions.
 
2 take oath
 
Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who arrived from Mumbai after cancelling other programmes, administered the oath of office to Panneerselvam, who will be handling Finance, and another minister, K Pandiarajan, who has been allotted Tamil Official Language and Culture portfolio.
 
Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam, said immediate steps will be taken for convening the general council meeting to expel Sasikala from the party general secretary post.
 
Soon after a joint announcement on the merger, both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, along with their supporters, went to the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's beach memorial and paid floral tributes.
 
After the swearing in ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Panneerselvam and Pandiarajan went to the State secretariat in the evening to formally assume charge.

*A week of hectic parleys went into the merger discussion before it was sealed today

*OPS rebelled in Feb when he was made to quit as the chief minister by the then AIADMK chief V K Sasikala and her nephew Dhinakaran. Sasikala made Edappadi Palaniswami the chief minister.

*Two months later, the Election Commission froze the AIADMK poll symbol 'Two Leaves' with both groups claiming it.

*Dhinakaran claims the support of 18 MLAs and has plans to move court against the merger.

*DMK is mulling over a no confidence motion against the Palaniswami-led govt.

 
 

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(Published 21 August 2017, 20:39 IST)

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