AIADMK Amma camp hits back at OPS team for 'cross-over' remark

"Many (in the rival camp) are making efforts to come over here. That will happen soon," Finance Minister D Jayakumar said.

Reacting to a comment of O Panneerselvam loyalist S Semmalai that a majority of ministers were in a "mood" to switch over to their side, he said it may have been to try and halt cross-over from their side and placate their followers. 

Semmalai, a former minister, had yesterday told reporters at Salem that a majority of ministers were "disillusioned" and were in touch with them. 

Claiming that the cross-over will happen to the Amma camp, Jayakumar, also holding the Fisheries portfolio, said Semmalai's 'cross-over' comment was like aiming to "plug the leak in a boat with salt." 

He said the party workers were united and government will complete its term in 2021. 

The AIADMK (Amma) faction had recently described as "opportunism" rival O Panneerselvam camp's demand for a CBI probe into former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa's death as a precondition for merger talks. 

The merger talks, however, have failed to make any headway with the OPS faction sticking to their demands