Tamil Nadu: AIADMK Functionaries Urge OPS, EPS To Induct Sasikala, Dhinakaran Back Into Party

The AIADMK has also scheduled another meeting with functionaries and representatives of the party on March 5.

AIADMK leaders EPS and OPS greeting a candidate (File Photo/ABP Nadu)

Chennai: AIADMK district functionaries from Theni have urged AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami to accept expelled leader VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran back into the party fold. 

According to a report in Times of India, the Theni AIADMK party cadre held a meet with Panneerselvam at his Kailasapuram residence in Theni recently to discuss the poor performance of AIADMK in the polls. However, the meeting ended up as an attempt to bring back Sasikala and Dhinakaran into the party fold, said the report. 

Speaking to reporters, AIADMK's Theni district secretary Syed Khan said the meeting was attended by 200 functionaries, and that they all just had one agenda that was to push for a reunion of the party. 

"Our party is divided and so our enemies are gaining an upper hand. Even earlier AIADMK was in a similar situation but we defeated the enemies by reuniting the party," he was quoted as saying.

The AIADMK has also scheduled another meeting with functionaries and representatives of the party on March 5, and a resolution on the matter is likely to be passed.

Meanwhile, Sasikala is expected to visit the southern districts on a pilgrimage on March 4.

In 2017, the AIADMK, which had got divided into two factions led by EPS and OPS after the demise of party supremo Jayalalithaa and the arrest of her aide Sasikala in the disproportionate assets case, decided to merge the factions and expel. Once the party reunited, AIADMK expelled then general secretary Sasikala and her nephew Dhinakaran from the party.