Chennai sources have reported that TTV Dhinakaran, who is leading a rebel faction of Tamilnadu's ruling AIADMK, today warned that he has far more support within the party than is known and Chief Minister E Palaniswami should take note of it and step down. Mr. Dhinakaran and his aunt, jailed leader VK Sasikala, are known to have the support of 21 lawmakers, 19 of whom have been sequestered at a hotel in Puducherry for the last two weeks to keep them away from the influence of the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile by calling the hidden support within the party "sleeper cells" a term used more in the context of terrorism he said, "Many MLAs will start supporting us one by one. We are giving time to EPS to step down". While Mr Dhinakaran has repeatedly claimed that he is not out to pull down Mr. Palaniswami's government, the comment is seen as a threat.
Moreover the expulsion of Ms Sasikala who took charge of the party after the death of then Chief Minister Jayalalitha in December was one of preconditions of OPS, as Mr. Panneerselvam is popularly known. Currently the united AIADMK has 134 legislators in the 234-member house 16 more than the 118 needed for majority
