Sources from Chennai have made a statement that Tamilnadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Race Course Road residence this morning. He is expected to pledge his party's support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's nominee for President. "We will decide soon (on Presidential polls)".
Mr. Palaniswami heads the larger faction of the AIADMK, which split weeks after the death of former chief minister and the party's powerful chief J Jayalalitha in December. O Panneerselvam, who leads the other faction, had met PM Modi last week and offered support to the NDA's candidate for the presidential elections to be held in July when President Pranab Mukherjee's term ends.
The Prime Minister, sources wants the two AIADMK factions to bury their
differences and come together with VK Sasikala, appointed general secretary of
the AIADMK after Ms Jayalalitha's death, and her nephew and deputy TTK
Dinakaran left out as both are in jail for corruption.
Moreover Ms Sasikala, who was Ms Jayalalitha's closest companion, appropriated power in the party after her death and also aspired to the post of chief minister. Mr. Panneerselvam, who was sworn in chief minister after Ms Jayalalitha died, was forced to step down to make way for Ms Sasikala and rebelled.
