Chidambaram takes a jibe at power tussle between BJP-AIADMK ahead of Tamil Nadu elections 

In the run-up to Tamil Nadu polls, former Union Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram has taken a jibe on CM Edappadi Palaniswami. Speaking at a poll rally, the senior Congress leader said that the worst nightmare of EPS is to see Union Home Minister and ex-BJP chief Amit Shah and PM Modi in front of him. He then claimed that EPS is also scared because he knows he will lose power in the upcoming elections and DMK, Congress alliance will rule the state. Chidambaram's remark is an apparent dig at the internal chaos between the NDA alliance partners and the power tussle between EPS and OPS.

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While the BJP is in talks with DMK chief Stalin's estranged brother MK Alagiri, the saffron party suffered a jolt with Superstar Rajinikanth exiting the poll scenario. It was expected that Rajini will support the saffron party after launching his party at a time when AIADMK has openly announced that it is the big brother in the NDA alliance.  Meanwhile, in its national party meet, AIADMK Deputy Coordinator K P Munusamy said that the BJP has to endorse EPS' candidature for the CM's post for the polls and agree to its other terms -like non-participation in government- and if not, should rethink of its 2021 electoral options. Mumnuswamy's fiery speech was in the presence of CM EPS and Deputy CM O Paneerselvam (OPS), who kept mum. Moreover, there are also reports that EPS-OPS tussle isn't over and BJP is arm-twisting the latter to strengthen its position ahead of the upcoming polls. 

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Tamil Nadu Assembly elections

Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are due during April-May 2021 and the political parties have started their campaign. While DMK's MK Stalin is eyeing becoming Chief Minister for the first time, AIADMK has arrived at reconciliation between two warring factions - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS). Incumbent E Palaniswamy has been named as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. The BJP is yet to make a formal announcement of the alliance with AIADMK and is in talks with Stalin's estranged brother MK Alagiri. On the other side, AIADMK has said that they are the big-brother within the NDA alliance. Meanwhile, Kamal Hassan is on a campaign trail and Alagiri has said that the launch of his political party will be in January. Superstar Rajinikanth who was about to launch his party this year has backed out due to health reasons. 

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