At a high time when the ADMK is held up in a catch-22 situation in the wake of growing tussle between its leaders Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam (OPS), expelled ADMK general secretary VK Sasikala has opened up on Friday and said that the time is nearing for the merger of the party. Her remarks have come when EPS and OPS are preparing to cross swords in the electoral battle in the upcoming Erode East bypoll. 

When the ADMK is in political chaos ahead of the bypoll, that has been scheduled to be held on February 27, the BJP is said to have been working to merge the two factions in the ADMK to take on the DMK in the bypoll. However, EPS is as strong as iron that he won't accept sharing talks and table with his rival OPS. Both EPS and OPS had also announced the candidates to take against each other when their battle over the leadership has become a slugfest. 

As these events challenge their political mettle, VK Sasikala has now come up and said that the time is nearing for the merger of the divide ADMK factions. Speaking to the reporters in Chennai, Sasikala said, "We are very close it - merger of the two factions. That's what I can say now and I can see the early signs and the situation is also conducive." Her remarks have come hours after Tamil Nadu BJP President Annmalai met EPS and OPS at their respective residencies. 

She also criticized the ADMK's course of aligning with the BJP. By expressing her displeasure for involving the BJP over the internal party disputes, Sasikala said, "If they (EPS and OPS) would have understood the party well, this would have been avoided." She further said, "I have been saying from the beginning that ADMK should reunite. In the past, the BJP met ADMK and sought its support, but now it has changed. If we understand what ADMK is, such events won't happen." 

VK Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran said it was good for the anti-DMK parties to come together and form an alliance. It can field a common candidate. He further said, "Our party candidate can be considered as a common candidate as he was born and brought up in the constituency. He is also well educated." Dhinakaran has slammed EPS for ADMK's divide. Earlier, OPS has said that he will seek support from Sasikala in the Erode East bypoll.