The return of Dinakaran from Tihar prison to Tamil Nadu politics, even as Palaniswami was establishing himself in the party and the government, has put party into a state of confusion once again
In what could be seen as a reassertion of jailed AIADMK (Amma) general secretary VK Sasikala's control over the party and its government, after being sidelined by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's camp, as many as 26 party legislators called on her nephew and party deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran at his residence here, plunging Tamil Nadu into political uncertainty once again.
Days after getting bail in the Election Commission bribery case, Dinakaran, along with 11 MLAs, had called on Sasikala in Bengaluru jail on Monday, even as senior Minister D Jayakumar reiterated their decision to keep away the family of Sasikala from the party and government.
The return of Dinakaran from Tihar prison to Tamil Nadu politics, even as Palaniswami was establishing himself in the party and the government, has put party into a state of confusion once again. The government won the trust vote in the Assembly in February with a wafer thin five-vote majority. If Dinakaran decides to pull the plug, even former chief minister O Panneerselvam's camp, with 12 MLAs, won't be able to save the government.
The ruling faction announced its decision to sideline Sasikala and her family from the party and the government on April 17 to pave way for the merger of the OPS faction. However, the merger talks did not take place as the OPS camp set pre-conditions of formally expelling Sasikala and her family and to recommend CBI probe into former CM Jayalalithaa's sudden demise.
Dinakaran's supporter and AIADMK (Amma) South Chennai district secretary VP Kalairajan said the MLAs were meeting Dinakaran as he was the party's deputy general secretary. "There is no third faction in the AIADMK and there is no threat to the government," he told reporters after the meeting.
"There is no threat to the government. Amma's government under CM Palaniswami will last till 2021," said Finance Minister D Jayakumar, adding that MLAs' meeting with Dinakaran was 'personal' and has no political meaning.
Political observers feel that Dinakaran would not pull down the government with four years terms left. It is a show of strength to warn the EPS faction against any move to expel them from the party, they said.
Meanwhile, DMK working president MK Stalin raised doubts whether the EPS government would be there until June 14 when the Assembly meets again.
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