Anticipating a merger of the two factions led by Edappadi Palaniswami  and O Panneerselvam, the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai was packed with party cadre. The police have barricaded the roads to the HQ.


Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are likely to arrive at the party headquarters by noon and formalise the merger deal, party sources indicated. Ahead of the formalisation of the deal, the Palaniswami camp is likely to make an announcement in respect of party chief VK Sasikala since the Panneerselvam faction is firm on a 'formal expulsion' of the jailed leader.


In a resolution on August 10, the chief minister's camp had already delegitimised Deputy general Secretary and Sasikala's nephew TTV Dinakaran setting the stage for a merger.


Though the merger appears imminent, the faction led by Dinakaran yesterday had flayed the merger attempt as a drama. The deputy general secretary's faction said their leader "has the ability to put a full stop" to whatever decision that could be taken related to a merger. -- PTI


Image: Police keep watch at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai as MLAs and workers arrive. Pic: A Ganesh Nadar