Chennai: Drama and theatrics are playing out in Tamil Nadu politics as rival factions within the ruling AIADMK dispensation trade charges and counter charges, heating up the atmosphere in Chennai.

Notwithstanding the assertion of Mannargudi family representative and deputy general secretary of AIADMK (Amma) TTV Dinakaran that he will not destabilize the Edapaddi Palaniswami government, the chief minister has pressed into service his trouble shooters into luring back the MLAs who were present on the dias at Melur in Madurai district along with Dinakaran the other day.

“Of the 16 MLAs, many have come back to the EPS side,” said Dindigal Srinivas, who is the treasurer of the AIADMK (Amma). In fact, many fear Dinakaran and were showing that they were with him, but when the time comes, they will be with the chief minister.

State finance minister D Jayakumar ridiculed the claim of Dinakran that EPS had kidnapped some MLAs and questioned if the MLAs were children who could be taken away by anyone? Dinakaran had alleged during his rally that the chief minister had forcibly prevented some MLAs from coming to the rally.

Laughing this away, the ministers said that it is a fact that not many MLAs were with Dinakaran who was himself ousted from the party post. If today there is a trust vote or no confidence motion, everyone will see who is where, said a senior AIADMK leader requesting anonymity.

One thing has become very clear: the MLAs and AIADMK leaders who used to remain silent have become vocal in articulating their views now after Amma’s demise and the jailing of AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala.

There are some MLAs who are not scared of digging up dirt of Dinakaran and remind the people that it is the same Dinakaran who was once arrested in Singapore for fraud and now he is accusing other people of being cheats and frauds. “It is he himself who is a thief and he is calling for investigations of others,” said an MLA from the EPS camp.

The OPS camp too hit back at Dinakaran saying that he had no right to criticize the former chief minister as “Dinakaran is a politician with criminal brain”. Senior AIADMK leader and former MLA KP Munusamy said he had absolutely no right to talk ill of anyone, given his own alleged involvement in frauds. “He is facing several serious allegations and is accused in cases pending in courts,” said another leader, indicating the freedom with which AIADMK members are now articulating their opinions without any fear.

MLA Ramachandran traced back history to recall how Dinakaran was ousted from the primary membership of the party by Jayalalithaa after she discovered a plot by him to wrest control of the party. It was for this reason that till her death, Jayalalithaa did not allow Dinakaran anywhere near the party.

“It is only because of Sasikala and Dinakaran that Jayalalithaa had to go to jail,” said the MLA. “They had misused her name and indulged in huge corruption,” he said adding now “Dinakaran, as the political heir of Sasikala, was trying to break the AIADMK. This will not be allowed at any cost.”