BJP’s AIADMK-AMMK ‘merger attempt’ upsets ruling party leaders

The fresh speculations coupled with the movement of AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran to Delhi and Bangalore has created unease forcing a few AIADMK seniors to enquire with the chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and party convenor O Panneerselvam to know what’s happening.

“The BJP has understood that only a united AIADMK can take on the DMK- Congress alliance in the state. The party is also ambitious to win the Kanyakumari seat and has restarted the political agenda for Tamil Nadu,” a AIADMK senior told DT Next.

Party seniors like KP Munusamy, minister D Jayakumar, SP Velumani are also closely monitoring the situation. Ministers like Rajendra Bhalaji, R B Udayakumar, O S Manian are also anxious over the sudden political developments, the senior said. There are also party seniors checking the pulse of the district secretaries and closed-door discussions are now common in the AIADMK weighing the pros and cons if Sasikala is included in to the party, the informed source said. “These are unofficial developments and nothing is concrete till now, but as per plan the party will go ahead with the high executive committee meeting on September 28, the party senior added.

Meanwhile a section of AMMK sources are elated after the news broke that their leader Dhinakaran had made a chartered special flight trip to Delhi to meet the senior BJP leader.

“We are hoping for the early release of Chinnamma and our leaders will certainly take a call on the political alignments for the upcoming next year assembly elections,” AMMK leader P Vettrivel said.

When contacted a BJP spokesperson on the unconfirmed reports that BJP is mediating the merger, the spokesperson wished not to be quoted and maintained that BJP has nothing officially to do with the AIADMK and AMMK.