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AIADMK finally talks local body polls in meeting, skips controversial leadership issue

Days after calls for a single leader to head the ruling party in Tamil Nadu came to the fore, AIADMK leaders made a beeline into the party headquarters on Wednesday. The party’s crucial meeting with top leaders, Ministers, MLAs, MP, district secretaries and functionaries took place for over an hour. However, no discussion was held over the internal tussles which began with the party’s Madurai North MLA Rajan Chellappa accusing Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam of being unable to take decisions promptly. The party resolved instead to focus on the upcoming local body polls. 

According to a party press release, “The party resolved to work hard and ensure a grand victory in the soon-to-be held local body elections, just as it has under the leadership of Amma (former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa). The party resolves to immediately begin work for the local body polls and win the hearts of the people.” The local body polls have been pending since 2016.

While the meeting ended shortly after noon, senior party leadership including CM Palaniswami, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani and party veteran KP Munuswamy held a closed-door meeting soon after.

Party sources told TNM that leaders with grievances were asked to address their issues separately to party leaders, as opposed to speaking to the media. On Saturday, AIADMK MLA Rajan Chellappa created a stir when he called for a single leader to take over as General Secretary of the party. He lashed out at EPS and OPS, alleging that they were unable to make prompt decisions. 

The ruling party was expected to take stock of the drubbing in the recently-held Lok Sabha polls. The AIADMK, in alliance with the BJP, managed to win just one of 38 MP seats in the state while the DMK-Congress combine swept up 37 seats. However, the AIADMK, whose priority remained the bye-polls, managed to stay in power, winning 9 of 22 seats.

The AIADMK thanked its voters, candidates and alliance partners. “The party expresses its happiness for being given the opportunity to second the proposal of Narendra Modi– of the Bharatiya Janata Party which has won a massive mandate in the recently-held Lok Sabha polls, coming to power for a second term– as Indian Prime Minister,” said the party’s resolution.

Source: The News Minute