After weeks of speculation, the merger between the warring AIADMK factions – one led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and the other by former CM O Panneerselvam appear to be nearly finalised.

Speculation is rife that the merger is being brokered by the BJP following multiple meetings by OPS and EPS with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. OPS had met with PM Modi earlier this week and had apprised him of the political situation in Tamil Nadu.

The latest developments come on the back of a number of announcements made by CM Palaniswami. On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu government had announced a judicial probe into the death of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and had also announced that ‘Veda Nilayam’, her Poes Garden residence in Chennai would be converted into a memorial. These were two of the demands made by the OPS faction for the merger. The other demand of the removal of AIADMK (Amma) General Secretary VK Sasikala is yet to be met by the ruling party.

With 20 MLAs on his side, how ‘ousted’ Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran responds to a likely merger remains to be seen.  

Here are live updates on the political rollercoaster in Tamil Nadu: