Over six months after a bitter split, rival AIADMK factions merged following a power sharing arrangement under which K Palaniswami will remain the chief minister and O Panneerselvam will be his deputy.
Panneerselvam will also be the AIADMK coordinator while Palaniswami will be the co-coordinator of the ruling party in Tamil Nadu. A cabinet reshuffle will take place, it was announced here after weeks of hard bargaining by factions led by the two leaders who have questioned Sasikala’s appointment as party general secretary.
Her loyalists continued to maintain that party cadres are with Sasikala, who is in jail in a graft case, even as the fate of the sidelined leader and her nephew Dhinakaran in the party remained uncertain.
According to sources, newly re-joined AIADMK is likely to call for an emergency general council meet which has the power to change or sack Sasikala.
Also read: Palaniswami, Panneerselvam to seal the deal today, jailed Sasikala to be shown her place
Here are the live updates:
#6:15 PM: Merger brought tremendous joy to lakhs of party followers. I share the same joy: OPS after taking charge as Dy CM & Minister
#5:20 PM: It's an act of making fool of people&party cadre.Been saying that this govt is most corrupt: V Pugalendi, TTV Dinakaran & Sasikala faction
#5:08 PM: Golden day in the history of AIADMK. All cadres and leaders are happy. No disappointment for me. Bad time begins for TTV Dinakaran. Whoever thinks bad for Amma's govt will be ousted: D Jayakumar
#4:47 PM: O Panneerselvam swears-in as Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu
#4:10 PM: We are happy with the merger but billion dollar question is why are they avoiding us?: CR Saraswathi, TTV Dinakaran-VK Sasikala faction
#4:08 PM: CM E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam pay floral tribute at MGR Memorial in Chennai
#4:01 PM: It will be decided after party's general body meeting: O Panneerselvam on question of VK Sasikala's expulsion from party post
#4:42 PM:
AIADMK general council will meet and take steps to expel Sasikala as general secretary, says Rajya Sabha MP Vaithilingam
#3:35 PM:
O Panneerselvam to be given portfolio of Finance & the position of Deputy CM, to be sworn in at 4.30 pm, today.
#3:30 PM: O Panneerselvam on merger
Differences have been ironed out, I am happy to meet all of you and my mind is clear now: O Panneerselvam
Amma's blessings & wishes of party cadres made it possible. Thank CM E.Palaniswami & leaders of his faction: O Panneerselvam
#3:30 PM: KP Munusamy on merger
Had few difficulties in recent times,similar to what happened after MGR's demise,but both OPS & EPS came forward to unite party: KP Munusamy
#3:23 PM: E Palaniswami on merger
-O Panneerselvam will be convener for this party (AIADMK): TN CM E Palaniswami after merger
-I will be co-convener. KP Munusamy will be deputy co-convener: TN CM E Palaniswami
-Our first priority will be to retrieve the two leaves symbol. We will fulfill all the promises made by Amma: E Palaniswami after merger
-Amma (Jayalalithaa) has said before that after me AIADMK will last over 100 years. We all will make sure it happens: E Palaniswami
-11 member coordination committee will run the party: E Palaniswami
# 3:16 PM
AIADMK factions helmed by E.Palaniswami and O.Panneerselvam announce merger
# 2:55PM
- O Panneerselvam leaves for AIADMK party head office
#2:54 PM
-All demands have been met,we are happy with everything.Heading to party office, expect good news: S Semallai, #AIADMK leader (OPS faction)
#2:50 PM
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami arrives at AIADMK party head office
Also read: AIADMK merger delayed over ‘ticklish issues’, differences remain between EPS-OPS factions
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