After AIADMK's stormy meet, rift widens between Tamil Nadu CM & Deputy CM

Amidst the rising chatter among party cadres of the AIADMK on the impending decision of choosing the CM candidate for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the rift between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam widened on Tuesday. 

Less than a day after heated exchanges took place at the AIADMK’s five-hour-long executive committee meeting where the party announced that they will reveal the chief ministerial candidate on October 7, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam skipped the important review meeting chaired by CM Edappadi K Palaniswami with district collectors regarding COVID-19. 

The decision to hold the review meeting comes just days before the COVID lockdown is set to end, and it was a usual sight to see both CM EPS and Dy. CM OPS attend these review meetings that were held via video conference. 

Unlike every other time where O Panneerselvam attended these meetings presided by CM EPS at the secretariat, he chose to stay back at his residence on Tuesday. While the CM was conducting the review meeting at the secretariat,  Panneerselvam was having discussions with KP Munuswamy, R. Vaithilingam and PH Manoj Pandian. 

READ: DMK & allies stage protests in TN against farm laws; MK Stalin fumes at AIADMK's stance

The timing of this closed-door meeting between OPS and his close aides comes at a crucial time when there have been heated arguments between OPS and EPS supporters who want their respective leaders to be chosen the CM candidate for the party. The executive meeting that took place on Monday, September 28 as well as two weeks earlier saw cadres from EPS and OPS faction shouting slogans praising them.

Rajya Sabha MP and AIADMK Deputy coordinator R Vaithilingam rubbishing rumors on the EPS-OPS drift said, “Both EPS and OPS have our support. Wait and see what happens on October 7.” 

According to sources within the party, the discussions on Monday focused on strong arguments put forth by Panneerselvam who said that he (OPS) had been chosen by ‘Amma’ (Former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa) twice whereas EPS had been chosen by VK Sasikala, the former aide of J Jayalalithaa and the party’s former general secretary. 

Panneerselvam has been gunning for the formation of the 11-member steering committee to be formed for the party, a move that according to the Chief Minister would only add confusion and chaos in a party like AIADMK which had predominantly been a single-leader run party since it’s formation. In fact, this 11-member steering committee was one of the points of convergence between the two camps at the time of reconciliation three years ago, in 2017.

The review meeting held at the secretariat discussing COVID-19, meanwhile concluded with the state government discussions with health officials and district collectors extending the lockdown in Tamil Nadu until the end of October with a set of specific guidelines for the public to follow.

READ: Tamil Nadu Elections: Who will be AIADMK's CM candidate for 2021 polls?