Mixed response from O Panneerselvam’s faction

O Panneerselvam’s (OPS) supporter and former minister K Pandiarajan said, “We have won the dharma yuddham. We welcome the announcement of the Chief Minister.” Elucidating further, he added, “The hurdles to the merger of the AIADMK(A) and AIAMK(PTA) factions have been removed and we expect the merger to take place soon.” 

However, OPS supporter and another former minister KP Munusamy struck the only discordant note when he said, “We placed on record our demand for a CBI inquiry into the death of the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and this has not been conceded.” According to him, the other precondition for merger — total ouster of jailed general secretary VK Sasikala’s family from the party — had also not been met, as Sasikala still continued to be the general secretary. 

The EPS faction had only recently communicated to the election commission that Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran being nominated deputy general secretary was invalid, following 27 head-quarters party functionaries nominated by Jayalalithaa signing a statement to this effect.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai was more diplomatic when he said, “We hope the merger of the factions will take place now. The announced inquiry commission will remove all doubts about Jayalalithaa’s death.” However, he added the rider, “We do not have the power to remove Sasikala from the general secretary’s post, as she was nominated by the general council.” 

As expected, Dinakaran’s supporters did not welcome the CM’s move. Supporter and MLA Thangatamilselvan said, “The Chief Minister announcing an inquiry commission into Jayalalithaa’s death is wrong.” The recently nominated deputy propaganda secretary and ardent acolyte, Nanjil Sampath said, “The announcement is only for the merger and not one which was issued wholeheartedly. Following Dinakaran demanding an inquiry into Jayalalithaa’s death at the Melur meeting, EPS has made the announcement in a bid to save his chair.” This also brings EPS closer to the traitor OPS, he ended.