The current CM E Palaniswami was announced as a CM candidate today.
Hours before Wednesday’s announcement, sources familiar with the development said O Panneerselvam was interested in having his demand to establish an 11-member steering committee be met before the party announces the candidate.
- News18.com
- Last update: October 7, 2020 3:40 PM IST
- Edited by: Bharvi dasson
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After what seemed like marathon sessions to reach an agreement between the rival factions led by O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami, the AIADMK reached a balance on Wednesday: EPS will be nominated for the main position and OPS will have more voice in the affairs of the party as An 11-member steering committee has been created.
The negotiations continued even after midnight on Tuesday. Panneerselvam was rumored to be aloof on several thorny issues, including the top ministerial candidate.
The demand to establish the Steering Committee was also long-standing: the Palaniswami factions get six positions while Panneerselvam gets five.
Not just internally, AIADMK’s effort to resolve factionalism would help allies gain stability on the way forward.
The AIADMK is currently allied with the BJP, the PMK, the DMDK, the TMC and several other small parties.
According to several party informants, the release of VK Sasikala from prison is just around the corner. It was she who installed Palaniswami as Chief Minister prior to her incarceration in February 2017.
AIADMK’s move to establish the steering committee and announce Palaniswami as chief minister would also effectively rule out any space for Sasikala to compete for power within AIADMK.
The current political scene is highly fluid with actor Rajinikanth reportedly waiting behind the scenes to begin his political journey. The DMK has been out of service for almost a decade.
With such powerful forces at play to seize power, the fact that AIADMK stabilizes its unity is an omen of will for itself and prepares the party, started by actor MGR and developed by his protégé Jayalalithaa, to face the elections again.
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