VK Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran on Thursday warned of “surgical action” against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami. He questioned how Palaniswami’s camp of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could question his appointment as the party deputy general secretary as they had filed an affidavit with the Election Commission endorsing Sasikala’s appointment as AIADMK chief, PTI reported.

“They are saying something outside and have stated something different in the affidavit furnished with the EC,” Dinakaran said, adding that such attitude was similar to “cheating” and both his and Sasikala’s appointment and all office-bearers they had brought in were valid and as per the AIADMK’s laws.

Dinakaran had said on Thursday claimed that the chief minister and other Tamil Nadu ministers had violated EC directives by using the AIADMK’s Constitution to adopt a resolution against him. The AIADMK (Amma) faction headed by Palaniswami had formally rejected Dinakaran as their deputy general secretary, saying that his appointment to the post had gone against party guidelines.

The AIADMK (Amma)’s move against Dinakaran appears to be its first formal stance against Sasikala’s family. The development comes amid rumours of a possible merger between the Palaniswami-led camp of the AIADMK and the other headed by J Jayalalithaa loyalist and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.