Palanisami meets PM, inclined to back NDA nominee for prez

 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi
without aides, amid indications that the ruling AIADMK (Amma) was inclined to back the NDA’s choice for the next President.

Only on May 19, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who heads one of the factions of the AIADMK, had called on Modi to indicate that his group may back the NDA’s nominee.

Ostensibly, Palanisami met Modi to invite him as the chief guest at two events in Chennai to honour former chief ministers, the late M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.

As Palanisami’s meeting with Modi took place against the backdrop of investigation by the Income-Tax department into dealings of some AIADMK leaders, including a state minister, the political situation in the state is understood to have come up for discussion, AIADMK sources said.

The AIADMK camp owing allegiance to V K Sasikala has been gripped by fear of a crackdown after the arrest of mining baron and industrialist J Sekhar Reddy by the Enforcement Directorate under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in March.

Reddy is accused of close links with both the factions of the AIADMK. “There were no discussions on politics. I submitted a memorandum to the prime minister raising several state-specific issues. We will decide soon (on Presidential polls),” Palanisami said after his one-hour meeting with Modi.

But AIADMK sources said the Tamil Nadu chief minister apparently conveyed his party's support to the NDA. Last week, Panneerselvam, too, had denied discussing politics with Modi though his camp indicated support for the NDA’s choice.

The ruling AIADMK (Amma) led by Palanisami has got 26 Lok Sabha MPs and 124 MLAs on its side. Panneerselvam-led AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma has the support of 10 MPs and nine MLAs.

Significantly, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu had met Palanisami in Chennai recently, which paved the way for the Tamil Nadu chief minister to call on Modi, the sources said.