'You run the government, let Dinakaran run the party,' TTV supporters tell EPS

At least 25 MLAs of the AIADMK who support TTV Dinakaran want things to go back to how they were as Sasikala left them before surrendering. MLAs who have pledged allegiance to Dinakaran met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy at the Secretariat to suggest that he run the government and allow Dinakaran to run the party as its deputy general secretary.

In a 30 minutes meeting that took place on Thursday, Dinakaran loyalists are said to have conveyed to Edappadi Palanisamy that keeping the presidential elections in mind, it was best to allow Dinakaran to carry out his duties as deputy general secretary of the party. While Dinakaran told the media that he would return to party affairs within 60 days, his cronies are bent on placing him at the helm of party affairs much before the deadline.

AIADML MLAs including P Palaniappan, V Senthil Balaji, Thoppu N D Venkatachalam, Thanga Tamilselvan and P Vetrivel met the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister has been asked to allow MGR centenary celebrations under Dinakaran's leadership to establish that he heads the party. If Edappadi Palanisamy agrees to TTV Dinakaran's associates' demands. the annual Iftar that the party hosts will be the venue where Dinakaran will register his return.

While Palanisamy was non-committal, he is said to have consulted his senior ministers on the next course of action. With O Panneerselvam faction pulling off from merger talks and MLAs jumping ships to support Dinakaran, Palanisamy is caught in a catch 22 situation. While affidavits in support of Sasikala and Dinakaran continue to be filed at the Election Commission of India in the AIADMK symbol row, Palanisamy fears backlash from the public if he joins Dinakaran.

While MLAs supporting TTV Dinakaran have assured that there was no threat to Palanisamy government, it comes with a rider of the demands being fulfilled. Thier primary demand is Dinakaran's return to the party as its commander.

OneIndia News