In a press conference ahead of his public meeting at Melur on Monday, ousted AIADMK (Amma) Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran hit out at Edappadi Palaniswami, calling him an “accidental Chief Minister”.
Calling EPS a cheat, Dhinakaran once again reminded him that it was his aunt and party General Secretary VK Sasikala who gave him the Chief Minister’s post. "Edappadi Palaniswami has been appointed the Chief Minister because of us. I have no fear in calling him a ‘420’," said Dhinakaran. "He and 27 others have clearly accepted that I am the Deputy General Secretary to the Election Commission. But now they won't allow my directives to be followed?" he asked.
With the EPS government sitting on a wafer thin majority, Dhinakaran was quick to issue a threat, noting, “Palaniswami sitting in the chair once occupied by Kamarajar, Anna, MGR and Amma is an accident. If they don't reform their ways, we will make them.”
Dhinakaran’s attack on the EPS faction comes amidst speculation of a merger with the former CM turned rebel OPS’s side. Just hours before OPS and EPS flew to New Delhi on Friday to participate in Vice President swearing-in ceremony, senior leaders in the AIADMK (Amma) passed a resolution calling TTV Dhinakaran’s appointment as Deputy General Secretary illegal.
Political observers say the move to term Dhinakaran’s appointment as Deputy General Secretary as illegal is the first step in fast-tracking a merger between the two warring factions.
The latest political developments come just days after TTV announced his return to active politics. He had earlier distanced himself from the party after he was accused of attempting to bribe Election Commission officials to reclaim the frozen two leaves symbol.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, amidst speculation that the BJP is pushing for a merger between the two factions.