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Tamil Nadu Minister Jaykumar offers to resign to facilitate merger of AIADMK factions

by IBNS 24 Apr 2017, 10:25 am

Chennai, Apr 24 (IBNS) : Tamil Nadu Finance Minister D Jayakumar has offered to resign as a "good will gesture" to create a conducive atmosphere for merger talks between the two warring factions of the ruling AIADMK, which is scheduled to be held on Monday, media reports said.

"If someone has to sacrifice for the welfare of the party, let it be me. I am ready to forego my portfolios for them,"  Jayakumar  has been quoted as saying in what is being seen as an indication that the post of Chief Minister will not be surrendered.

Both sides have formed a seven-member committee each, which will hold negotiations on  issues like whether E Palaniswamy will continue as Chief Minister or O Panneerselvam, heading the rival faction, will take over.

Panneerselvam had filled-in for Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister thrice in the past, twice when she had to go to jail in corruption cases and once when she was on her death bed. 

He had claimed he was coerced to step down by Sasikala after Jayalalithaa's death. 

The effort by the two factions  to bury the hatchets has been prompted  to retrieve the AIADMK's famous Two-Leaf symbol, kept frozen by the Election Commission after both camps staked claim to it. 

The urge for a patch up made the Chief Minister's camp to concede the demand of Paneerselvam to sideline party General Secretary VK Sasikala, now in jail and her nephew and Deputy General Secretary  TTV Dinakaran, booked by Delhi police allegedly for trying to bribe Election Commission officials.