Sasikala’s family lures 34 Dalit MLAs

The family, which has allegedly been targeting 34 Dalit MLAs, mostly the ones from western districts ever since the AIADMK split, has also ‘marked’ a few select ministers from the Kongu region, who have turned against the clan. 

Sources privy to the development told DTNext that a MLA-cum-district secretary hailing from the western region, who has been holding parleys with MLAs on behalf of the ‘family,’ has assured lucrative government ‘posts’ to the Dalit legislators during a meeting attended by 30 MLAs, including four ministers (two from the Kongu region) at a star hotel near Guindy since Friday. 

“The participating MLAs wanted the ‘family’ to demand the dropping of two ministers holding key portfolios from the Kongu region, including a relative of Chief Minister Palainsamy to ensure the continuance of the government. Their demand was accepted. The negotiator had even assured to fill the vacancy caused by the three ministers by accommodating the Dalit MLAs,” one of the participants of the meeting disclosed under condition of anonymity. He dropped 23 MLAs names, including sitting ministers Kamaraj, Kadambur Raju and former ministers Senthil Balaji and Thoppu ND Venkatachalam and seven unnamed MLAs, who had attended the meetings. 

Significantly, not a single member of the family has been directly involved himself/herself in the ‘meetings,’ which continued even on Sunday afternoon. The chief negotiator was also learnt to have assured the Dalit legislators that they would even consider rotation basis so that all MLAs would get a fair share of cabinet experience. “In the event of MLAs not getting ministerial berths, they would be made government welfare boards heads,” the source in the know of things revealed, adding that the family also enjoys the support of 20 other MLAs apart from the newly secured 30. 

Meanwhile, Finance Minister D Jayakumar told reporters on Sunday that there were ‘contradictions’ in the rival camp, with each leader making different statements. Pointing out that O Panneerselvam had said ‘conducive atmosphere’ prevailed for merger talks but others were making different statements, he said, “... (there are) contradictions among themselves. Our only stand is let’s talk,” he told reporters here. 

Panneerselvam aide and Rajya Sabha member V Maithreyan had reiterated the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction’s demand for the state government recommending a CBI probe into late chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death besides removal of party chief VK Sasikala, her deputy TTV Dinakaran and members of her family from the party. “Only if these demands are met, the talks will happen. We are clear on that,” he noted.