AIADMK merger: OPS gets party, EPS gets government?

The Panneerselvam camp has also officially announced that a committee is being formed to facilitate talks

The two factions of the AIADMK may have just managed to arrive at a compromise formula. Sources suggest that the merger talks have been a success and the official announcement is expected to be made soon. In the bargain that went into the merger, it was agreed upon, according to sources, to allow Edappadi Palanisamy to continue as the chief minister and O Pamneerselvam is set to become the general secretary of the party.

OneIndia had earlier reported about how Panneerselvam camp was more interested in taking control of the party than the government and sources indicate that the merger talks went on the same lines. Panneerselvam, however, is likely to get a cabinet berth along with Ma Foi Pandiarajan from his camp. While Edappadi Palanisamy's team is nervous about giving Panneerselvam the cabinet berth, they have expressed no qualms about accommodating leaders of Panneerselvam camp in the cabinet.

On Friday, the Panneerselvam camp announced that they have been invited for talks. "We got a formal invite from the AIADMK Amma camp to appoint a committee. We will nominate members to the committee by end of day, said Ma Foi Pandiarajan of the Panneerselvam camp.

With Sasikala and Dinakaran's ouster, Panneerselvam camp began merger talks on a high. To ensure that the family doesn't reenter the party, Panneerselvam camp has sought the general secretary's post. The camp has reminded Edappadi Palanisamy team that the duo's official resignation is yet to be submitted.

Even as news of successful merger talks emerged, Panneerselvam held a meeting with his camp's leaders at his residence on Friday. While the situation was tensed on Thursday with leaders of either camp making demands and expressing disappointment with each other in public, both camps seem to have agreed on larger issues and are in the process of discussing smaller issues concerning the party and the government.

OneIndia News