AIADMK crisis: TTV Dinakaran accepts fate, says 'no problem in stepping aside'

Chennai: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran were thrown out of Tamil Nadu's ruling party after several hours of dramatic developments late on Tuesday. Dinakaran has now called a meeting of party MLAs and District Secretaries at party headquarter in Royapettah at 3 pm on Wednesday.

Here are the latest updates about the ongoing AIADMK crisis:-

-Extend my heartfelt gratitude to all my party office-bearers and cadres who've extended their full fledged support to me till now:TTV Dinakaran

​-I am mature, no problem in stepping aside: TTV Dinakaran quoted as saying by NDTV . 

-MK Stalin of DMK demands emergency assembly session on Tamil Nadu farmers distress

We met TN Speaker and demanded an immediate assembly session, waited to meet CM but he did not meet us: MK Stalin pic.twitter.com/8oxI1VTUog — ANI (@ANI_news) April 19, 2017

-Both factions will talk to fulfil the aspirations of lakhs of party workers: O Panneerselvam.

-This is our faction's first victory that Sasikala and her family have been ousted from the party: OPS

-Our fight for justice has its first victory, says O Panneerselvam in press conference.

-I have no regrets because I don't have any expectations: TTV Dinakaran

-I have stepped aside in the interest of the party, so no question of resigning: TTV Dhinakaran

-VK Sasikala appointed me as AIADMK Deputy General Secretary, will consult future move with him: TTV Dhinakaran
   
-Some leaders in AIADMK have revolted against me due to fears: TTV Dinakaran

-Since the court has asked me to come by 3 pm, the MLAs will now meet some other day: TTV Dinakaran

-Emergency meeting of AIADMK MLAs called by me is not a show of strength: TTV Dinakaran 

-TTV Dinakaran arrives at the Economic Offences Court in Chennai for Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) case hearing. 

-All MLAs are with me. There is no revolt against me: TTV Dinakaran

-50% vote bank is with us; If Dinakaran gets support from party people then he can run the party: M Thambidurai.

-There is no weakness in the party, we all are united: M Thambidurai.

-Meanwhile, Delhi Police has issued a lookout notice against TTV Dinakaran, fearing he may try to escape after being ousted from his party.

Delhi Police issues a look out notice against TTV Dinakaran, immigration department informed. pic.twitter.com/Vg2vcxfbiT — ANI (@ANI_news) April 19, 2017

-AIADMK leader and state Finance Minister D Jayakumar late on Tuesday announced that VK Sasikala and her nephew Dinakaran were decided to be 'delinked' from the party.

-Jayakumar had earlier announced that a new committee was formed to administer the affairs of the AIADMK.

AIADMK merger row

Demanding the ouster of VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakarn from the AIADMK, former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam had on Tuesday said the party should not be controlled by one family, adding it was nothing short of treason to allow the former to control the party's affairs.

He said that he had sent a petition to the Election Commission to declare Sasikala's appointment as AIADMK general secretary 'illegal'.

Earlier in the day, two other MLAs P Vetrivel and Andipatti legislator Thanga Tamil Selvan had voiced support for Dinakaran.

In the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Sasikala faction earlier enjoyed the support of 122 MLAs and Panneerselvam 12. However, the present tally is not clear.

Last month, the Election Commission had frozen the 'two leaves' symbol of the AIADMK as part of its interim order.

Sasikala is in jail in connection with the DA case in which Jayalalithaa was the main accused.

In a related development, the Delhi Police had booked Dinakaran yesterday for allegedly trying to bribe an Election Commission official for obtaining the party symbol for his faction following the arrest of an alleged middleman.

Dinakaran, who is a nephew of VK Sasikala has denied the allegation against him, calling it false.

The crime branch of the Delhi police has claimed that Dinakaran was trying to ensure that his party was allotted the AIADMK poll symbol of two leaves for the RK Nagar bypolls.

The bypolls to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency was scheduled for April 12, but the EC cancelled it, saying the electoral process had been "seriously vitiated" by parties through the use of money power.