Merger talks panel wasn’t doing anything towards development: Panneerselvam

Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu chief minister O. Panneerselvam on Monday said the panel appointed for merger talks was not doing anything towards development and that’s why the decision was taken to dissolve it.

“After the committee has been dismantled there is no possibility for talks. Even after committee was formed they were only creating drama, nothing towards the development of the state. My next step is to bring the parties together,” Panneerselvam told the reporters here.

Panneerselvam has dissolved the seven-member panel that he had formed for holding merger talks between two rival AIADMK groups, ending any hope of immediate unity within the party.

He took the decision late last night, local media reports said after a meeting party functionaries here.

The Panneerselvam-led AIADMK faction has been demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.

It also sought the removal of AIADMK chief V. K. Sasikala and her family members, including Deputy General Secretary T. T. V. Dhinakaran, from the party as preconditions for merger talks to go ahead.

Since no visible progress was seen on these issues, it was decided by the Panneerselvam faction to call off merger talks for the time being. (ANI)