Hours after the two warring factions of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam merged on Monday evening, around 20 MLAs from the ruling Tamil Nadu government have expressed their dissatisfaction.
As many as 18 MLAs “meditated” at the memorial of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Marina beach late on Monday evening, reported Hindustan Times. The MLAs said that sacked deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran would meet Governor C Vidyasagar Rao around 10 am on Tuesday.
The two factions of the AIADMK, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, announced their merger at the party headquarters on Monday, after months of political drama. Pannerselvam was later sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister, and also got the finance portfolio.
The chief minister had said that the first priority of the party will be to retrieve the two leaves symbol that the Election Commission had frozen earlier this year.
Many Dinakaran loyalists said they were unhappy with the functioning of the government, and that they don’t think it will last. One of the loyalists, CR Saraswathi, asked why Sasikala was being eased out. “It is our desire that the party should be united,” he told The Times of India.
The OPS camp had demanded a written assurance that Sasikala will be sacked as the party chief. Earlier on Monday, Palaniswami delayed the scheduled merger announcement as the draft resolution sacking Sasikala from the party was not ready. Later, Panneerselvam had said that the decision on VK Sasikala’s expulsion from AIADMK will be taken after the party general body meeting.
No-confidence motion
Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is likely to move a no-confidence motion against the government. Party Working President MK Stalin said Tamil Nadu was not going to gain anything from this merger.
He also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre of orchestrating the entire deal. “Story, screenplay, direction all from Delhi. OPS and EPS are actors in this drama,” Stalin told the Hindustan Times.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!