CHENNAI: AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran ruled out the possibility of merger with parent unit, AIADMK, but expressed his willingness to strike an alliance with it to defeat their arch rival DMK in the forthcoming elections.

"I have welcomed the call (of O Panneerselvam) for unity among the factions. But we have made it clear that we are ready for an alliance, not for merger, to defeat the DMK party," Dhinakaran told reporters on Wednesday after protesting against the DMK government for mismanagement of the governance. He said this while responding to a question whether he is open to the merger of his party with the parent unit.

He continued that he was forced out of AIADMK. Following that, the loyal and true cadres of AIADMK joined him and there was no looking back. "Now going back to them is not good for both of us," he said.

He further said that he was not aggressive in the 2021 Assembly election in a bid to aid the AIADMK, but they failed to cash on it miserably because of greed and egoistic approach of certainpersons. "In coming days, they will correct themselves," he said.

He hit out at AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami that he was not functioning like a party leader and said, "If he continues to function in the same manner, it (AIADMK) will reduce into a block level party."

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