MGR birth anniv: OPS, Sasikala vie for merger of factions

CHENNAI: The factions led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, O Panneerselvam and VK Sasikala in the AIADMK party celebrated the 106th birth anniversary of the party founder and former chief minister MG Ramachandran along with their supporters. However, they sent across different messages to the cadres and their supporters on the occasion. While OPS and Sasikala emphasised on the need for the unity of the party on the occasion, EPS camp was not in the mood to entertain such a move.

Flanked by senior party leaders, EPS paid floral tribute to MGR's statue on the party headquarters and cut a cake to mark his 106th birth anniversary. OPS paid tribute to MGR statue at Ramapuram Thottam (MGR memorial house), while Sasikala garlanded the portrait of the party founder at her residence.

Talking to the media persons, Sasikala emphasised the need for the AIADMK party to stay united to take on its arch rival DMK and defeat it in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The victory of the unified AIADMK party should be dedicated to the party leaders - MGR and Jayalalithaa. When asked whether she would take efforts to meet both EPS and OPS to put an end to the row of leadership, she skirted away from responding to the question and quipped wait and watch.

OPS, while talking to the mediapersons, shared a similar view and said that unity among the supporters of Jayalalithaa. He also expressed hope for a favourable outcome in the ongoing case in the Supreme Court over the party's general body meeting held in mid July last year.

However, EPS supporter and AIADMK leader D Jayakumar ruled out remote possibilities of OPs and Sasikala returning to the party. "She can talk whatever she wants. But she has no right to speak about the AIADMK party," said Jayakumar.

On the idea of merger of factions in the AIADMK, Jayakumar said Sasikala, OPS and T T V Dhinakaran can join together and start a party. It would benefit them, but it would not benefit the AIADMK in any way. "We will respond to the Election Commission, if we receive communication in an appropriate manner," he said and noted that coordinator and joint coordinator postings were ceased to exist in the party.