Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday ordered a judicial probe into the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, one of the main conditions put forward by the AIADMK faction led by O Panneerselvam for the merger of the two factions.

The move comes after beleaguered AIADMK leader TTK Dinakaran, nephew of jailed AIADMK chief VK Sasikala, held a show of strength rally in Madurai earlier this week in which 20 party and independent legislators participated.

Chief minister EK Palaniswami had removed Dinakaran from the post of deputy general secretary of AIADMK earlier this month.

Sasikala is serving a prison term in a disproportionate assets case in which late chief minister Jayalalithaa was the main accused.

The OPS faction had set three conditions for the merger. The removal of TTV Dinakaran and his aunt VK Sasikala from key posts in the party. EPS is however reluctant to disown Sasikala openly, but had announced last week that no decision taken by Dinakaran will be binding on the party. In a resolution passed by the party, 7 office-bearers of the EPS faction AIADMK (Amma) signed a resolution against Dinakaran requesting the party cadre to reject the appointments made by him.

Jaya memorial at Veda Nilayam 

Palaniswami also announced that Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa, Veda Nilayam, will be turned into a museum.

The other precondition that the Panneerselvam-led Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction set for talks included removal of jailed AIADMK chief VK Sasikala and her family members from the party.

The merger is crucial for the AIADMK to get back its two leaves election symbol that the poll panel had suspended after the split.

Also, a united party will boost its prospects in the upcoming civic polls against a resurgent rival, the DMK.