The merger of the two warring factions of the AIADMK appears to be a distant prospect with leaders from both sides now engaged in a war of words. Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan, who belongs to former CM O Panneerselvam’s faction, slammed the ruling side stating that Finance Minister D Jayakumar and co wouldn’t be part of the state government after 2021. Jayakumar hit back observing that Maitreyan had not made any sacrifices for the party.
The sparring match between the two leaders began with Maitreyan taking to Twitter on Saturday to say, “Till 2021, Amma’s government will be in power, no one is denying that. But after 2021, Jayakumar and company will not be part of the Amma government.”
அதை அமைச்சர் ஜெயக்குமார் கேலி செய்து 2021 வரை அம்மா ஆட்சி தான் இருக்கும் என்று கூறியுள்ளார். யாரும் அதை மறுக்கவில்லையே.
— DR V MAITREYAN (@maitreyan1955) May 6, 2017
2021 வரையும், அதன் பிறகும் அம்மா ஆட்சி தொடரும். ஆனால் அந்த ஆட்சியில் ஜெயகுமார் கம்பெனி தொடர தமிழக மக்கள் நிச்சயம் அனுமதிக்க மாட்டார்கள்.
— DR V MAITREYAN (@maitreyan1955) May 6, 2017
Addressing the media on the same day, Jayakumar was quick to respond, “If someone who has made sacrifices for the party says this, it is acceptable, but someone like Maitreyan who does not have anything to do with the party is saying this.”
However, Jayakumar’s statement came with the rider that the ruling Edappadi Palaniswami faction was still open to merger talks. “But we do not want to speak against anyone, if they come to us, we will surely accept them in the party. They are just 2 per cent and we are 98 per cent, when we are doing everything for the welfare of the people, we are not worried about anything else,” he added.
Maitreyan, though, was unwilling to call truce, rebutting Jayakumar’s charges saying late CM Jayalalithaa knows what he has done for the party and he does not care what Jayakumar says about it.
கழகத்திற்காக நான் என்னென்ன செய்தேன் என்பது நான் வணங்கும் தெய்வம் புரட்சித்தலைவி அம்மா அவர்களுக்கு நன்கு தெரியும் என்பதே எனக்கு போதும்.
— DR V MAITREYAN (@maitreyan1955) May 7, 2017
குண்டுச்சட்டிக்குள் குதிரை ஓட்டும் ஜெயக்குமார் போன்றவர்களுக்கு தெரியவில்லை என்றால் நான் அதைப்பற்றி கவலைப்படவில்லை.
— DR V MAITREYAN (@maitreyan1955) May 7, 2017
The merger talks between OPS and EPS factions have hit a new low. While the ruling party wants to hold talks without any preconditions, the OPS faction demands that VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran be removed from the party, and that a CBI probe be ordered into the death of Jayalalithaa.