Hectic talks in the day but OPS dithers at night on AIADMK merger

All senior leaders of AIADMK (PTA) faction headed by OPS met at his Greenways Road residence at 5.30 pm to decide on the conditions for the merger and the meeting lasted for almost four hours even as floral decorations adorned the late CM’s memorial all evening.

By around 9.30 pm, senior leaders from the OPS camp, including PH Pandian, Ponnaiyan and Madhusoodhanan, were among the first to leave the residence of O Panneerselvam marking the end of the marathon meeting.

Confirming the development, former speaker PH Pandian said, “Our leader O Panneerselvam will take a final decision regarding the merger and will make an announcement.”

Sources revealed that certain additional demands by the OPS faction was the reason for the deadlock. While OPS was earlier promised the deputy CM’s post in addition to the finance and urban housing portfolios, two ministerial berths were reserved for his colleagues.

However, OPS supporters _ former minister KP Munusamy, V Maitreyan, MP, and former MP Manoj Pandian were unhappy with the official as well as party posts offered to the group by the EPS faction on the ground that if lesser number of posts were accepted it would lead to their faction getting less importance.

The first indication that matters were moving positively was when police protection was ordered for OPS’ residence.

As the evening wore on, the first sign of the activity at the venue was when Jayalalithaa’s memorial was decorated with flowers. As time progressed, crowds started increasing at the memorial despite a continuing drizzle, while some party cadre were also at the party HQ on Lloyd’s road. Police also said they had not received any ‘convoy alert’ after 7.30 pm, a procedure necessary to ensure security for the Chief Minister’s convoy.

The euphoria that reigned through the day with thousands of cadre thronging the Marina beach to get a glimpse of their leaders unite ended with torrential rain pouring at the venue forcing cadre to vacate the area.

Meanwhile, ministers KP Anbalagan, Vellamandi Natarajan and Dindigul C Srinivasan left the CM’s residence where Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami held repeated rounds of talks with his ministerial colleagues.

It was on February 7 that the then chief minister O Paneerselvam announced his revolt after meditating at this very Jayalalithaa memorial for 30 minutes