OPS camp miffed at TTV’s merger offer

Dinakaran, who visited the Kathiramangalam protesters as a part of Meet the People rally in Thanjavur, said that he was making the merger option open, but that should be entertained only after the removal of six Ministers. 

“Everyone knows who those six Ministers are,” he quipped while replying to a query. “But, those six Ministers will be welcome back, once they repent for their faults,” Dinakaran added. Lauding the sacrifice of the 18 disqualified MLAs, Dinakaran told that he was not for the post of the chief minister, but one among the 18 should be given a chance as a token of their sacrifice, he noted. Dinakaran assured to ensure withdrawal of cases foisted against the protesters in Kathiramangalam once his supporters formed the government. 

Meanwhile, a year after the beginning of the ‘Dharmayudham’ forcing the entire VK Sasikala’s family out of the party and government, the celebrations are missing in the camp of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam as Dinakaran’s supporters are demanding the dropping of six Ministers, including Panneerselvam from the cabinet, as a compromise formula to save the Edappadi K Palaniswami government. 

With the Madras High Court reserving its order on the disqualification of 18 MLAs supporting Dinakaran, the government will be facing a full blown crisis if the disqualification order is set aside. Panneerselvam’s supporters are furious with Dinakaran for setting the terms for a possible compromise to save the government at such a juncture. “Who is Dinakaran to set conditions for the AIADMK? Is he a member of the party?” asked AIADMK deputy co-ordinator KP Munusamy, responding to the suggestion. 

He also said, “Our ‘Dharmayudham’ has won and the family has been excluded from the party and government. The question of re-entry of the family does not arise at all.” But, Dinakaran’s supporters are confident that most of the ministers and MLAs would back them when the EPS government is pushed into a crisis. They are unanimous in the demand for the removal of six ministers, including Palaniswami, Panneerselvam, P Thangamani, SP Velumani, D Jayakumar and KC Veeramani. But, they want Dinakaran as the chief minister, despite the rebel leader making it clear that he would not be in the race and one of the 18 MLAs must be made the chief minister. Former Karnataka state secretary of AIADMK V Pugazhendhi said, “Already 30 MLAs are with us and the 11 MLAs who supported Panneerselvam will be disqualified. We are just waiting for the verdict on the disqualification case.” One of the disqualified MLAs Thangathamizhselvan declared that they would not appeal if the disqualification of MLAs is upheld, but would force a bypoll.