Remove Sasikala kin from AIADMK before talks: O Panneerselvam camp

“Palaniswami does not want to step down, and Panneerselvam wants the post right away,” said the MLA, who was a former state minister. “The Panneerselvam camp is delaying it because leaders there know that Palaniswami has to surrender finally,” he said.

The MLA added that the demand to oust the Sasikala family first is only a way to buy time — until Palaniswami agrees to hand over the CM’s post.

A senior Panneerselvam camp leader argued that only T T V Dinakaran, Sasikala’s nephew who was made party deputy secretary after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, was ousted, and no one from Sasikala’s family was removed. “No leader in the ruling faction will dare speak against Sasikala even now. When Dinakaran was removed, even senior minister D Jayakumar, who announced the decision, referred to the Dinakaran family, and not Sasikala’s family,” the leader pointed out.

“We demand a statement announcing their dismissal from the party and seek a CBI probe into Sasikala’s role in Amma’s (J Jayalalithaa’s) death,” he added.

K P Munusamy, a senior leader in Panneerselvam camp, said that merger talks are not possible unless these two demands are met.

Party leaders pointed out that two recent developments have forced the Panneerselvam faction to harden its stance: minister Jayakumar’s remarks that he was ready to sacrifice the finance portfolio for the former CM and help Palaniswami continue, and an article in party mouthpiece ‘Namadhu MGR’ stating that Sasikala and Dinakaran will be supported by people and the party cadre.

Referring to the article, Munusamy said this shows Sasikala is still in control, and the “party is still in their hands”.

But a senior leader of the Palaniswami faction admitted that their leaders, including the chief minister, are clueless how to retrieve assets and party organs from Sasikala loyalists. “Both the party paper Namadhu MGR and Jaya TV (channel) are with Sasikala loyalists…. Many other formal and informal assets of the party are also with Sasikala and her associates, because that is how Jayalalithaa also kept them safe,” the leader said.