The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s warring factions – that of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his rival and Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam – did not come to a consensus on a merger on Friday night despite hours of talks.
Earlier in the day, amid talks of a possible merger, Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s memorial at the Marina beach was decked up with elaborate floral arrangements. Palaniswami and Panneerselvam were expected to go to the memorial together. Through the day, both of them had met with key members in their team, fuelling speculation about a merger.
The Panneerselvam faction’s demands that VK Sasikala be publicly expelled from the party and talks of the allotment of portfolios and positions in the merged government delayed the merger, The Hindu reported on Saturday.
On Thursday, Palaniswami announced that a one-person enquiry commission will investigate Jayalalithaa’s death.Palaniswami also said that Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence will be converted into a memorial. However, her niece Deepa Jayakumar alleged that she had moral, ethical and legal claims to the house.
The Panneerselvam faction appeared to agree with the Palaniswami’s decisions. “Delighted to welcome two key moves by Palaniswami to set up judicial enquiry into Amma’s expiry and to convert Veda Nilayam into a memorial,” AIADMK MLA K Pandiarajan said on Twitter. Pandiarajan further said it was time to now “transparently negotiate the merger” between the two factions.
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