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Lakshmi Subramanian
Lakshmi Subramanian

Tamil Nadu

Dhinakaran all set to prove his might, to meet AIADMK leaders on Aug 5

PTI4_22_2017_000073B (File photo) T.T.V. Dhinakaran

On April 25, when he was arrested by the Delhi CBCID in a bribery case, political obituaries were written for him, saying he cannot imagine a comeback. And when he was lodged in the Tihar prison, the political atmosphere in Tamil Nadu was abuzz with opinions saying the bribery case against him was hanging like an albatross around his neck and he would find it difficult to come out of the legal tangles. But on June 7, as he stepped out of the Tihar prison on bail, in the bribery case against him, his moves were clear. He chose to remain silent for 60 days.

With the 60 day deadline coming to an end, T. T. V. Dhinakaran is gearing up to go into active politics mode. Dhinakaran has called for a meeting of the senior AIADMK leaders and executive members on August 5. This move comes even as everyone in the party thought he would stay away from the affairs of the party as he had said earlier.

At a time when the government under Edappadi K. Palanisamy is trying hard to stabilise and when former chief minister O. Panneerselvam is trying hard to get back into the parent party with the BJP’s support, Dhinakaran's move is seen as crucial as it would have a major impact on the party and its future.

Party insiders say the move is to reiterate the fact that he is still a force within the AIADMK and it will be foolhardy to write him off from Tamil Nadu politics. And according to his supporters, “he would rise like a phoenix from the ashes.” In fact, Dhinakran himself is not giving anything away. Seen as one of the smartest of the lot within the Mannargudi family, Dhinakaran seem to know the tactics of handling as precarious situation and emerging out of it.

It may be recalled that Dhinakaran received a hero’s welcome at Chennai airport on June 7, when he came back from Tihar, proving wrong the claim that he and his family would remain a persona non grata. Again, when several AIADMK leaders made a beeline to his residence at Karpagam gardens at Besant Nagar in Chennai, it was clear that he would play truant to unsettle both EPS and the OPS camps.

Also, Dhinakaran seems to be gaining more strength in the form of support from the family. His warring uncle V. Dhivakaran too seems to have reconciled the differences. Expressing his condolence during the final rites of Dhiankaran’s mother-in-law Santhana Lakshmi, Dhivakaran said, “We are together as always. The party is as strong as it used to be. Somehow, it has been caught in a chakravyuha like the Abhimanyu in Mahabarata. Soon we will come out of it. As a family we are always together.”

Sources say, the family reunion has given more energy to Dhinakaran and he is preparing for a showdown on August 5. Though the pending FERA case, IT case and the bribery case continue to threaten him, Dhinakaran is all set to prove his might. And now, with the merger hanging in the air, Dhinakaran’s comeback is looked at as a huge sigh of relief for the confused AIADMK cadres and MLAS. In fact, both Panneerselvam and Palanisamy have had two meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reportedly talking about the pros and cons of a possible merger. While Panneerselvam is still trying hard to merge, Palanisamy seems to have settled with the government and taking it on a performance mode. But the meetings and the developments thereafter has not sent out a clear message to the AIADMK cadres who have been waiting for the party to emerge after the death of J. Jayalalithaa.

Sources close to the AIADMK say Dhinakaran’s comeback has made the Palanisamy camp unsettle and the government under the latter will throw its weight to ensure that Dhinakaran’s meeting turns a flop. According to sources, Dhinakaran might have difficulty in even getting into the party office on August 5. However, for his supporters, it is “Dhinakaran Returns.”

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Topics : #Tamil Nadu | #AIADMK

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