Palaniswamy, Panneerselvam await Governor’s decision to end stalemate

CHENNAI: Political Jallikattu continued in Tamil Nadu as warring AIADMK factions led by chief minister Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswamy awaited governor Vidyasagar Rao’s decision to end the stalemate, even while trying to tame each other in their elusive bid to capture power.

This came on a day when AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala anointed her nephew TTV Dinakaran as her party deputy before surrendering herself in Bengaluru to be imprisoned.

The late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa had expelled Dinakaran in 2011 for ‘antiparty’ activities and his rehabilitation prompted recently-appointed org anising secretary V Karuppasamy Pandian to join the Panneerselvam camp.

However, Dinakaran’s return apparently made no impact on all MLAs supporting Sasikala, who continued to remain at the resort. Early Wednesday morning, an AIADMK release said that Dinakaran had apologised for his actions and he was being inducted into the party. Minutes later, another statement appointed him as the second in command of the party.

Sometime later, Sasikala left for Bengaluru, but not before performing what resembled oath-taking at Jayalalithaa’s Marina Beach memorial.

Pandian who crossed over after Dinakaran’s virtual takeover of the party told reporters, “I cannot digest the appointment of a person removed from the party by Jayalalithaa in 2011.”