AIADMK CM war spills over, Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam call truce for now

CHENNAI: The debate over the AIADMK’s CM candidate for the forthcoming assembly polls is no longer a closely guarded secret. In the wake of supporters of deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam putting up posters in Theni district demanding that he be made the CM candidate, hectic parleys were held in the party on Saturday to defuse the crisis.
A group of 14 ministers, sent as emissaries by CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, held two rounds of discussions with OPS and EPS at their official residences to put to rest all debate over the CM-candidature.Both EPS and OPS chose not to visit each other’s house. OPS also stood his ground not to yield to EPS’s invitation for a meeting to sort out issues, if any. Panneerselvam conveyed to the senior leaders that time was not ripe to discuss the chief ministerial candidature. What is evident is that fissures are wide, to the extent that the CM and his deputy needed emissaries to hold discussions.
The only positive outcome for the party and the government was a joint statement issued by EPS and OPS in the evening, warning party functionaries (read ministers) against airing their views before the media without the approval of the party high command. The statement, referring to the views expressed by some senior functionaries (ministers), said, “We won’t achieve anything by expressing our views in public.
The party leadership will follow the path of Amma (Jayalalithaa) and take important decisions on policies and alliance formation by holding discussions in the party in a democratic manner”. Exhorting the cadres to stay united, the statement said plenty of work had to be completed for the welfare of the people. The leaders should act more cautiously and responsibly as the party approaches the next assembly polls.
Ministers Sellur K Raju and K T Rajenthra Balaji, who triggered the debate over the CM candidature, were conspicuous by their absence in the delegation. Senior ministers S P Velumani, P Thangamani, Dindigul Sreenivasan, K A Sengottaiyan, K C Veeramani and C Vijayabaskar were part of the delegation.