“Expelled” Deputy General Secretary of AIADMK (Amma) faction, TTV Dinakaran, on Monday trained guns at “power hungry” Chief Minister Edapaddi Palanisami and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam but declared that he will not destabilise the “Amma government”.

But the threat emanating from Dinakaran, who showed by his show of strength at the Melur rally in Madurai district that he still has grassroots support of the cadres and the masses.

There were hundreds of people throwing themselves at his and the vehicle carrying him, in an action replay of what used to happen when Jayalalithaa visited any area. And later, his aunt and AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala ‘commanded’ such respect from the masses.

Thus emboldened at the support his call for rally received, Dinakaran attacked the chief minister and his style of functioning from AC rooms at party headquarters. “You have to be with the cadres and people,” he said admonishing the chief minister. He also took on OPS, saying that he welcomed the demand for a probe into Jayalalithaa’s death as the person who was the chief minister was OPS and he will be questioned first.

There were some 14 MLAs and five MPs on the stage with Dinakaran, something that must cause worry to the two factions of AIADMK, as the EPS government barely enjoys majority in the house. If indeed the 14 vote against the government, should such an eventuality arise in the future, the government will come under severe stress and could fall as well.

DMK working president MK Stalin has already announced that he might be moving a no confidence motion.

The very fact that government might fall and they would lose power will keep the MLAs glued to the government said a political analyst.

Unmindful of the rally, finance minister D Jayaumar said merger moves are at advanced state and there would be good news soon.

Dinakaran has already begun complaining of “MLAs being kidnapped”. “If the MLAs were given freedom of choice, many more would have joined the rally,” he said.

In Delhi, former chief minister O Panneerselvam called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussion over political situation in Tamil Nadu is believed to have taken place.

The BJP wants both the factions of AIADMK to merge and that it joins the NDA. This it hopes will help the BJP gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu in future.

Union minister of state, Pon Radhakrishnan told media persons here on Monday that “Amit Shah’s visit to Tamil Nadu will change the course of politics, but there will be no change in government.”