Press "Enter" to skip to content

Uneasy truce prevails between EPS and OPS as AIADMK campaign begins

Sources in the Chief Minister (CM)’s camp admit that they were initially apprehensive of fissures in the party after four and two page advertisements published by the O Panneerselvam camp in Tamil dailies.

An uneasy truce currently prevails between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS), even as the AIADMK’s campaign is in full throttle. With seperate posters and advertisements, the two leaders are spearheading individual promotional activities for themselves, even as they continue to tour cities and towns together.

Sources in the Chief Minister (CM)’s camp admit that they were initially apprehensive of fissures in the party after four and two page advertisements were published by the O Panneerselvam camp in Tamil dailies. The ads hailed OPS as the true heir of Jayalalithaa. In addition to this, at a meeting in Chennai in December, while EPS listed the AIADMK government’s achievement, OPS only referred to what the government had done under former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

But discussions that followed these unsettling events have helped ease out tensions temporarily, say sources.

“The OPS camp has hired its own agency for promotional activities on social media and so the advertisements were expected. The EPS camp was aware that the promotional activities were beginning,” says a source in the CMO. “All ministers have been given permission to promote themselves individually in regions where they have clout. For OPS, his promotion will have to be stronger in Southern regions (houses a large population of the Thevar community that OPS belongs to). Each leader wants to promote himself, as there will be a general sense of dissatisfaction in terms of coverage ahead of the elections,” he adds.

But this dissatisfaction, say insiders and political analysts, is only likely to grow as the elections approach. Experts believe that the general council and executive committee meeting that will be held on January 9, will shed some light on who will take the call on seat distribution.

“During the meeting, the party may pass a resolution and give decision making abilities to EPS. His political graph is rising and he is definitely gaining support at the ground level,” says political analyst and senior journalist ‘Tharasu’ Shyam. “The giving of seats is one junction where leaders will look to exert power. Each minister and senior leader will have a quota where they can suggest contestants for 7-8 seats. OPS is likely to get these seats in southern Tamil Nadu,” he adds.

Shyam however points out that with Thevar vote which constitutes at least 20% of close to 60 constituencies, is now split by TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK.

“EPS, Velumani and Thangamani are more likely to win the party seats in the Western regions. It would be a better bet to give them more seats,” he explains.

Sources in the AIADMK too point out that the final decision regarding seats will lie in the hands of the Chief Minister.

“He will act on the advice of the district secretaries,” says an AIADMK source. More secretaries in the party support EPS, as opposed to OPS. “If we go against their suggestion, they will not campaign properly for the candidate,” he adds.

But even if the party does give the decision making power to EPS, OPS is unlikely to accept it without putting up a fight.

Sources in the party point out that OPS has to sign the ‘Form B’ (as part of their nomination papers for the assembly pollS) for each candidate, before it is submitted to the Election commission and that he is likely to refrain unless at least some of his demands when it comes to selection are met. Moreover, without his consensus, a candidate will not be eligible to contest under the two-leaves symbol.

“At this point, ahead of the election, we think he won’t create problems,” says the source in the CMO.

Source: The News Minute