No decision was taken on Sasikala on Monday, but she may soon be ousted from AIADMK.
Steps will be taken to remove AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala by convening the general council meeting, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam said on Monday.
Vaithilingam, a leader of the Palaniswami camp, addressing the merger meet at the party headquarters here, said measures will be initiated soon to remove Sasikala. By making the announcement, the Palaniswami camp has conceded a key demand of the Panneerselvam faction for the merger that took place today. Vaithilingam, a former minister, was named party deputy coordinator just before he addressed the meet.
Ahead of the merger, an AIADMK functionary Avadi Kumar told reporters that it was the general council which elected Sasikala and any subsequent action in respect of her expulsion can be taken only by it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today assured all possible support to the E K Palaniswami government of Tamil Nadu in which O Panneerselvam was inducted as Deputy Chief Minister following merger of two AIADMK factions. Soon after the swearing-in, Modi congratulated Panneerselvam and others who took oath. "I congratulate Thiru O Panneerselvam & others who took oath today. I hope Tamil Nadu scales newer heights of progress in the years to come," the prime minister tweeted.
"Centre assures all possible support to CM Thiru Edappadi K Palaniswami & Dy CM Thiru O Panneerselvam for the growth of TN," he added in another tweet. Panneerselvam, former chief minister of Tamil Nadu who headed rebel AIADMK faction before the merger, was administered the oath of office and secrecy in Chennai by Governor Vidyasagar Rao. He was interim chief minister twice when Jayalalithaa stepped down due to cases against her, and then chief minister following her death on December 5, 2016. His close aide K Pandiarajan was sworn-in as minister for Tamil official language and Tamil culture.
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