Both factions of the AIADMK have announced that the merger talks will most likely begin on Monday.
Earlier, it was believed that the first meeting between two committees of the AIADMK (Amma) and the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma), would take place on Saturday. However, party sources informed the media on Saturday morning that the meeting had been pushed to next week.
With Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami getting ready for a meeting of Niti Ayog to be held chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sunday, and his Ministerial colleagues away in districts to monitor drought relief work, it was decided to defer the merger talks, according to a Minister.
He added that as the Chief Minister is scheduled to return to Chennai on Sunday night, the meeting will mostly likely take place on Monday.
Another leader in the AIADMK (Amma) says that there are greater chances that the meeting will take place on Monday, as it would take away the public attention from the bandh relating to farmers’ issue called by the Opposition on Tuesday.
Both the factions have appointed committees to lead the merger talks on behalf of their teams. While the team of Ministers and MLAs with Mr. Palaniswami have expressed their desire to continue with status quo as far as the post of Chief Minister goes, Mr. Panneerselvam’s team has put across two ‘non-negotiable conditions’. The first is the removal of Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran from their posts in the party, and second, the government should order an inquiry into the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
