Panneerselvam sworn in as deputy chief minister, also handed over the finance portfolio
The two warring factions of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) - one led by Chief Minister E Palaniswami (EPS) and the other by former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) - have announced a merger, saying "MGR always wanted to see us united, not split".
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The striking part of the merger is that EPS has taken a backseat in the party, declaring OPS as the party convenor, and keeping himself as the co-convenor.
While EPS will remain the chief minister, OPS was sworn in as the deputy chief minister last evening, besides also being given the finance portfolio.
EPS, while addressing a press briefing here, said there would be 11 people in a committee to co-ordinate in the merger. There was no mention of jailed AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala in the press statement.
"We will get the party symbol back and defeat the enemy. Jayalalithaa had said 'after me, the AIADMK will be there for 100 years'. We all will make sure it is," he added.
"We all are children of one mother, and Amma (Jayalalithaa) is that one mother."
Panneerselvam said, "The burden on my heart is gone. None can separate us, we are children of Amma, we are brothers."
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