O Panneerselvam gets ‘EPS as CM nominee’ campaign stopped for now

Breaks, albeit for now, have been applied on ‘EPS as Chief Ministerial candidate’ campaign in the AIADMK.

AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Saturday managed to get a joint statement released with his deputy in party and boss in the government, Edappadi K Palaniswami, issuing a diktat to leaders not to talk or give media interviews regarding policy decisions of the party.

"Views of party office-bearers aired in the past few days without any need has become a point of debate. Everyone should maintain the military discipline that was enforced in the party during Amma’s (J Jayalalithaa’s) time by accepting the decision of the High Command. The leadership will take policy decisions, including the question of alliance, in a democratic manner keeping in mind sentiments of party cadre,” the statement said.

The joint statement came at the end of a six-hour long marathon talks 14 senior ministers and two party leaders held with OPS and EPS separately, more than once during the day, after it was clear that all was not well with the CM and his deputy.

Though the statement asked party cadres and leaders to focus on working towards ensuring the party is elected to power for a third consecutive term in 2021, the issue of whether to project a CM face remains unsettled.

Panneerselvam, who stood for Jayalalithaa twice when she had to quit as CM in 2001 and 2014, has lost much of his bargaining power and ground in the party and the government after his rebellion against Sasikala that saw Palaniswami occupying the Chief Minister’s chair.

Over the week, OPS was upset with the debate on the issue of the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate triggered by statements of three ministers who indirectly favoured continuation of the current arrangement – Palaniswami as CM and Panneerselvam as coordinator of the party.

As if the open statement by the ministers were not enough, the Chief Minister’s open declaration, in his Independence Day speech, that he will continue to work for the wellbeing of the people of Tamil Nadu also perturbed OPS.

Adding to the fuel was posters that sprung in OPS’ home district of Theni terming him as the “one and only Chief Minister who has the blessings of late J Jayalalithaa.” As things went out of control, the ministers met OPS at his residence and told him the need to settle the issue and end the confusion.

OPS, according to sources, expressed his displeasure at ministers and senior leaders “airing their personal opinion” on policy decisions of the party without consulting the leadership. He also insisted that a joint statement should be issued by him and the CM to put an end to the controversy after which the ministers met EPS.

“The ministers told the CM and Dy. CM that there was an urgent need to put up a united face as elections are less than a year away in the state. Since the assembly elections are quite crucial for the party, they insisted upon immediate resolution of the issue,” a senior leader told DH.