Finally, the two AIADMK factions, one led by CM Palaniswami and another by O Panneerselvam, have announced the merger. O Panneerselvam took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, and also took charge of Finance and Housing ministries. Here, let’s recount the events from the split in the party to the merger.

Dec 5, 2016 - Following the demise of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5, cabinet minister and her loyalist O Panneerselvam took oath as the Chief Minister on the same night.
Dec 29 - Jayalalithaa’s close aide V K Sasikala was elected as the party’s general secretary at the party general council meeting.
Feb 5, 2017 - O Panneerselvam resigned as the Chief Minister so that Sasikala can become the Chief Minister. Sasikala was elected as the leader of the Legislative Assembly. Governor C Vidyasagar Rao asked Panneerselvam to continue as the Chief Minister until a new CM is appointed.
Feb 7 - O Panneerselvam sat on a meditation before Jayalalithaa’s Memorial in Marina beach, and said he was forced to resign as the Chief Minister.
Feb 14 - Supreme Court convicted Sasikala in the disproportionate assets case. Edappadi K Palaniswami was announced as the leader of the Legislative Assembly. High-level AIADMK functionaries including O Panneerselvam were removed from the party.
Feb 15 - Before leaving to Bengaluru prison, Sasikala visited Jayalalithaa’s memorial, and ‘thumped’ the grave thrice allegedly as a gesture of taking an oath. ‘ TTV Dhinakaran appointed as the deputy general secretary of the party.
Feb 16 - Senior leader Edappadi K Palaniswami took oath as Chief Minister
Feb 17 - O Panneerselvam’s faction announced that Sasikala, Dhinakaran and S Venkatesh were removed from the party.
Feb 18 - Edappadi K Palaniswami government won the trust vote in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with 122 votes. DMK legislators were evicted from the Assembly, and Opposition leader M K Stalin’s shirt was torn.
Feb 24 - Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar floated a new party - MGR Amma Deepa Peravai, and expressed a desire to contest from R K Nagar constituency which fell vacant after Jayalalithaa’s demise.
Mar 8 - OPS faction began to observe fast demanding an inquiry into the mysterious death of Jayalalithaa.
Mar 15 - TTV Dhinakaran was named as the candidate for the R K Nagar by-elections.
Mar 22 - Election Commission froze the AIADMK’s ‘twin-leaves’ symbol, and said the party couldn't use the symbol for the R K Nagar by-elections.
Mar 23 - Election commission announced ‘Hat’ as the poll symbol for EPS-led AIADMK (Amma), and ‘Electric Pole’ for OPS-led AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma).
Apr 9 - Election Commission cancelled the R K Nagar by-polls over allegations of cash distribution to the voters.
Apr 17 - Delhi police filed a case against Dhinakaran for allegedly bribing Election Commission officials to retain the ‘twin-leaves’ symbol.
Apr 18 - EPS faction formed a committee for talks with the OPS faction for the merger. Palaniswami’s cabinet opposed TTV Dhinakaran and decided to keep Dhinakaran and his family away from party and rule.
Apr 19 - Delhi police summoned Dhinakaran in the Election Commission bribery case.
Apr 20 - Merger talks failed after the OPS factions demanded the removal of Sasikala and Dhinakaran from the party, an inquiry into the death of Jayalalithaa.
Apr 25 - Delhi police arrested Dhinakaran in Election Commission bribery case.
Apr 26 - Sasikala banners were removed from party headquarters following the opposition from OPS faction.
May 2 - Enforcement Directorate filed a case against Dhinakaran in the Election Commission bribery case.
Jun 5 - Dhinakaran met Sasikala in Bengaluru Parappana Agrahara prison.
Jun 11 - OPS faction dismissed the committee for merger talks.
Aug 10 - AIADMK (Amma) faction, led by EPS, invalidated the appointment of TTV Dhinakaran as the deputy general secretary of the party.
Aug 17 - EPS announced an inquiry into the death of Jayalalithaa and also said that her ‘Veda Nilayam’ house will be converted into her memorial.
Aug 18 - Dhinakaran met Sasikala in prison on her birthday, while the EPS and OPS factions were busy discussing the merger.
Aug 19 - Amidst the high drama, both EPS and OPS factions expressed hope that the merger was just a step ahead.
Aug 21 - Both the factions announced merger. O Panneerselvam was given Deputy Chief Minister post, and he also took charge of Finance and Housing ministries.