Reporter's dairy: OPS’s birthday gift to Chinnamma

CHENNAI: On a day when former chief ministers O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami made the headlines, the former by offering truce in the battle for AIADMK and the latter by rejecting it, ousted party leader VK Sasikala had something to celebrate on her birthday.

The offer seeking collaborative leadership is a sweet birthday gift to her from the estranged OPS, who is now inching closer to ‘Chinnamma’.

From dual leadership, OPS has moved to collaborative leadership, meaning more leaders for the AIADMK.

According to the Sasikala followers, the frequency of OPS mentioning the names of Sasikala and Dhinakaran has increased recently.

This reporter had a few phone calls from Sasikala loyalists on whether their Chinnamma has reacted to the OPS gesture.

“Can you please confirm what Chinnamma said today? Has she referred about OPS,” asked an AMMK district functionary. “Some of us want to put out posters with pictures of all three leaders — Sasikala, Dhinakaran and OPS — but are yet to get a green signal. If the truce is happening, we want to celebrate this as a birthday gift to Sasikala, he said.

However, Sasikala chose not to get committed to developments and instead joined the chorus of BJP leaders and TN Governor RN Ravi in wishing the devouts on Krishna Jayanthi.

“Praying to Lord Krishna will alleviate negative and betrayal thoughts,” she said in her greetings.

Though Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran are yet to openly accept OPS offer, Dhinakaran continues to condemn EPS for trying to control the party and for betraying Chinnamma, a convict in a disproportionate assets case along with former CM J Jayalalithaa.