Hours after the posters with tagline “2021. CM for OPS” in and around Theni and Madurai districts were pulled down, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam (OPS) were in all smiles. After hoisting the tricolour at the state secretariat, Palaniswami handed over the Chief Minister’s Best Practices Award to Panneerselvam for total computerisation of finance, human resources and pension management processes of the state. But, even before the party cadre could celebrate the award, trouble began brewing within the ruling AIADMK once again.
After the flag-hoisting ceremony got over, a group of 10 party seniors including ministers D. Jayakumar, K.A. Sengottaiyan, P. Thangamani, S.P. Velumani and others rushed to Panneerselvam’s house at Greenways Road. The meeting began at 11 am, while his supporters began raising slogans in front of his house, saying “Next Chief Minister OPS”. The ministers, after the two-hour long meeting, rushed out a few doors away to call on EPS. And then, after 30 minutes, the group again rushed to OPS’s house for yet another meeting to update him on what EPS had to say. But even after the marathon meetings, the fissures within the EPS and OPS camps did not settle down.
Later, when the ministers left the place after inconclusive meetings, a joint statement was issued by OPS and EPS, where they urged the party members to maintain ‘military-style’ restraint, similar to the party style followed when former chief minister Jayalalithaa was at the helm of affairs. OPS and EPS, as coordinator and joint coordinator of the party, warned of action against those who speak about the party’s internal affairs in public without the approval of the leadership. “In the past few days, the comments made by a few party administrators without any background has led to a topic for debate among others. To avoid such situations from being repeated, we request you all to exercise military-style control over your comments and follow the commands of the party leadership, similar to what was in practice during Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’s times,” the statement said.
The two also said that all the party decisions around alliance and policy decisions will be taken in a democratic manner by the party high command. They also urged the party workers to not to fall for any minor disturbances. “It is the time for us to work together to ensure that the party and the government work in a manner that is appreciated by everyone,” the statement said. It also added that “action will be taken on anyone who expresses their personal comment on the party’s stance in any media or platform without the party’s approval”.
It all started on Tuesday when Minister for Milk and Dairy development K.T. Rajenthira Balaji tweeted that the party should go for elections, with EPS as the CM candidate. A day before Balaji’s tweet, Cooperative Minister Sellur K. Raju said, “MLAs will elect the chief minister” when AIADMK wins the 2021 elections. Incidentally, OPS, who maintained silence on the tweets, expressed his mind through a tweet saying, “Lets work together and win the 2021 elections”. OPS, however, was disturbed with the ministers supporting EPS. Sources say that the tweets were orchestrated by the strategist team working for EPS and the AIADMK. Apparently, in an informal meeting with the scribes at the state secretariat, OPS expressed disappointment over the issue saying everyone wants to be a leader.
OPS supporters, however, feel that he was the man identified by Jayalalithaa whenever the party was in trouble and he filled the vacuum created by her every time when she was convicted or even when she died. And OPS, party insiders say, is highly upset over the issue and demanded that a committee be appointed within the party to discuss and decide on who the next chief minister candidate will be. But the EPS faction and the ministers did not agree to this, as this might indicate giving space to OPS.
On the other hand, EPS supporters, along with his strategy team, party insiders say, are working towards establishing him as a strong leader opposite DMK’s M.K. Stalin. It is also working to ensure that OPS stays out of the race and EPS gets the reins of the party.
