The majority faction of the AIADMK, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), declared on Thursday that party cadres are not bound by the decisions of the party’s deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.
At a meeting of senior party leaders, a resolution to this effect was adopted. In the resolution, they pointed out that Dhinakaran’s appointment as deputy general secretary was not in compliance with the party’s rules.
Even the Election Commission has not recognised his post and it is even looking into the validity of VK Sasikala as general secretary, the resolution added.
It was Sasikala who had appointed Dhinakaran, her nephew, as her deputy in the party, it further said.
He was not eligible for the post as he had not been a member of the AIADMK continuously for five years, it added.
He had been expelled by former general secretary J Jayalalithaa in December 2011.
While this is a significant step in healing the rift with the breakaway faction led by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS), senior leaders in the breakaway faction described the resolution as a half measure.
Talking to media after a meeting led by OPS, Manoj Pandian, a senior member in the faction, said the group is sticking to its stand that all members of the Sasikala family should be expelled from the party and an investigation should be ordered into the circumstances leading to the demise of Jayalalithaa in hospital last December.
These are the preconditions to any discussion on a reunion, he said, denying any reconciliation talks had taken place. However, senior ministers in the EPS faction maintain that the reconciliation talks have been more or less finalised.
But the resolution has met with strong criticism from Dhinakaran’s supporters, who rule out any question of a reconciliation or expulsion.
‘Surgical action’PTI reports that Dhinakaran today warned of “surgical action” against EPS, and rubbished the party statements questioning his appointment as AIADMK deputy general secretary.
He wondered how the EPS camp could comment against Sasikala when they themselves had furnished an affidavit to the EC, endorsing her appointment as party chief.
OPS, meanwhile, said his side is “keenly” watching the situation and that a decision on a possible merger of the party’s two factions will be taken “reflective” of people’s expectations.