Decision on VK Sasikala likely today

The announcement is expected to come after the meeting at the AIADMK party headquarters.Adopting such a resolution would pave the way for a merger as both the warring factions had warmed up to each other recently.

Sources said that the senior functionaries of AIADMK (A) led by the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had deliberated over theissue and agreed to go ahead. The resolution would be similar to the one made in the removal of Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran as the party’s deputy general secretary earlier this month. 

The meeting would also discuss the list of nominees for the party’s “steering committee” after the merger.

“We have proposed to form a 17-member committee.

We have a list which would be placed for discussion and ratification. We are in touch with representatives from the OPS camp and we expect them to come up with the list of names for the committee,” said a senior minister requesting anonymity.

As for the package to be offered to accommodate the supporters of the OPS faction, the minister maintained that they were yet to finalise it.

Sources said the EPS faction was also mulling the option of reviving the Upper House.

“Our lofty goal in effecting the merger would be to see that the party does not get entangled in the clutches of a single family,” said Panneerselvam speaking to reporters on his arrival in Chennai after a short tour of the districts