<p>AIADMK leaders are finding it difficult to resolve differences between Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam even as the self-imposed deadline of October 7 for announcing the chief ministerial face for the 2021 elections nears.</p>.<p>Highly-placed sources in the party told Deccan Herald that no resolution has been reached between the two warring leaders as on Friday as both are “sticking to their known stands” even as they expressed fear whether the decision on CM’s candidate will have to be postponed yet again. </p>.<p>The sources said interlocutors are finding it difficult to resolve the differences between the two leaders as OPS is stubborn on his stand that a steering committee should be constituted, while EPS is vehemently opposed to such an idea.</p>.<p>“We are trying for a resolution before October 7 so that the decision on the chief ministerial candidate can be announced on the said date as decided earlier this week. There is no sight of resolution as we speak, and the effort is to try, try and try till the last minute. We are hopeful, but we are not too sure,” a senior minister told Deccan Herald.</p>.<p>Though Palaniswami and Panneerselvam participated in three events on Friday to commemorate the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 45th death anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Kamaraj, they did not speak to each other.</p>.<p>Hours after the event, the verified Twitter handle of the AIADMK put out a message announcing that all party legislators have been asked to be in Chennai on October 6, a day before the party’s scheduled date for announcing the CM nominee. However, the tweet was deleted within hours, even as a few ministers and MLAs whom DH contacted said they have not received any such invite or phone calls informing them about the meeting.</p>.<p>Panneerselvam, who feels sidelined within the AIADMK and has expressed displeasure over the way Palaniswami and several ministers treat him in the party and government, continued to hold parleys with his supporters on Friday. Former Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai also met Panneerselvam on Friday.</p>.<p>“Panneerselvam wants the constitution of the steering committee with 11 members to run the party. He also wants a greater say for him in the AIADMK pointing out that he does not interfere much in the functioning of the government. OPS also feels the steering committee is necessary to prepare the party for the Assembly polls due next year,” a senior leader said.</p>.<p>However, Palaniswami is opposed to the idea as he feels such a committee would only create more problems within the AIADMK and lead to the emergence of “another power centre.”</p>.<p>“We are trying to reach an agreement,” the leader said, adding that OPS continues to question the need for announcing the CM nominee “at this point.”</p>
<p>AIADMK leaders are finding it difficult to resolve differences between Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam even as the self-imposed deadline of October 7 for announcing the chief ministerial face for the 2021 elections nears.</p>.<p>Highly-placed sources in the party told Deccan Herald that no resolution has been reached between the two warring leaders as on Friday as both are “sticking to their known stands” even as they expressed fear whether the decision on CM’s candidate will have to be postponed yet again. </p>.<p>The sources said interlocutors are finding it difficult to resolve the differences between the two leaders as OPS is stubborn on his stand that a steering committee should be constituted, while EPS is vehemently opposed to such an idea.</p>.<p>“We are trying for a resolution before October 7 so that the decision on the chief ministerial candidate can be announced on the said date as decided earlier this week. There is no sight of resolution as we speak, and the effort is to try, try and try till the last minute. We are hopeful, but we are not too sure,” a senior minister told Deccan Herald.</p>.<p>Though Palaniswami and Panneerselvam participated in three events on Friday to commemorate the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 45th death anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Kamaraj, they did not speak to each other.</p>.<p>Hours after the event, the verified Twitter handle of the AIADMK put out a message announcing that all party legislators have been asked to be in Chennai on October 6, a day before the party’s scheduled date for announcing the CM nominee. However, the tweet was deleted within hours, even as a few ministers and MLAs whom DH contacted said they have not received any such invite or phone calls informing them about the meeting.</p>.<p>Panneerselvam, who feels sidelined within the AIADMK and has expressed displeasure over the way Palaniswami and several ministers treat him in the party and government, continued to hold parleys with his supporters on Friday. Former Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai also met Panneerselvam on Friday.</p>.<p>“Panneerselvam wants the constitution of the steering committee with 11 members to run the party. He also wants a greater say for him in the AIADMK pointing out that he does not interfere much in the functioning of the government. OPS also feels the steering committee is necessary to prepare the party for the Assembly polls due next year,” a senior leader said.</p>.<p>However, Palaniswami is opposed to the idea as he feels such a committee would only create more problems within the AIADMK and lead to the emergence of “another power centre.”</p>.<p>“We are trying to reach an agreement,” the leader said, adding that OPS continues to question the need for announcing the CM nominee “at this point.”</p>
