TTV Dhinakaran rules out immediate AIADMK-AMMK merger, says ‘let’s wait and see’

CHENNAI: AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran on Thursday said his party would stand by AIADMK during difficult times and would not abandon allies for power or positions. He did not rule out the possibility of a merger between AIADMK and AMMK and said, “Let’s wait and see.”

Responding to questions on the possibility of an AIADMK-AMMK merger, Dhinakaran said supporters of both parties had been discussing the idea in social media. However, no such proposal had come up before the leadership of both parties.

“There have been discussions among cadres and supporters, but no senior leader has raised the issue. No one has approached me for discussions on a merger,” he told reporters. Dhinakaran, however, stopped short of ruling out the possibility. “Let’s wait and see,” he said.

Dhinakaran reiterated AMMK’s commitment to NDA, saying its alliance with BJP and AIADMK remained intact.

Taking a swipe at DMK allies, he accused several political parties' leaders of shifting their positions for power and cabinet berths, though they cover it under the pretext of preventing President’s rule in Tamil Nadu. “If I had wanted to join hands with the ruling party, I could have done it. But I remained true to my alliance partners as their efforts aided our victory in one seat,” he said, alluding to the fact that the party's single MLA had been hijacked through illegal means.

Targeting former AIADMK ministers who recently joined TVK, Dhinakaran said party functionaries should work with the leadership to rebuild after an electoral defeat, instead of switching sides. “Many are joining the ruling party. They fail to realise that they, too, were among the reasons for the party’s defeat,” he said.

Referring to former ministers Udumalai K Radhakrishnan and Kadambur C Raju, who were reportedly made to wait outside TVK’s headquarters for hours, Dhinakaran said, “I feel sorry for them.”

He dismissed as “untrue” claims that AMMK functionaries from several districts had shifted en masse to TVK.