AIADMK groups to start merger talks on Monday

AIADMK (A) spokesman and former minister Vaigai Selvan said, “The meeting is expected to start around 10 am as 7.30 am to 9.30 am is ‘rahu kalam’ and inauspicious.” AIADMK (PTA) merger talks committee member and former minister C Ponnaiyan said they were yet to be informed of the exact starting time of the meeting. “The meeting on Monday will be attended by full committees from both sides, though on other days, the numbers might vary,” he said, adding, “We expect to reach an agreement on major issues within three or four days.”

Both factions accept that the major issue will be the demand of resignation of TTV Dinakaran and VK Sasikala from the party posts. AIADMK (PTA) committee leader and former minister KP Munusamy also demanded that nearly 30 members of the Sasikala clan should be shown the door.

It may be recalled that Dinakaran by his own admission, stepped aside, but has not resigned as seven AIADMK (A) MLAs have openly shown their support, declaring they would be with him till the last. Tamil Nadu minister SP Velumani on Saturday said the primary aim of both AIADMK factions was to retrieve the party symbol ‘Two Leaves’ which was frozen by the Election Commission (EC).