Cabinet ministers have been meeting with the two top leaders constantly for the past week to reach consensus.
With AIADMK set to announce its lead ministerial candidate on October 7, Chief Minister (CM) Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) has decided to negotiate a truce with MP CM O Panneerselvam (OPS). On Wednesday, EPS is likely to be announced as the CM candidate while, as a compromise, it accepts the formation of a steering committee.
On September 28, at the executive meeting, O Panneerselvam pointed out that he was promised that he could be the main candidate for the minister for the next elections. She also added that the steering committee that was part of the agreement for the merger between the two factions of AIADMK had not yet been formed. When an argument broke out over who had the strongest control in the party, the top leaders pressed the date of the decision.
In previous statements to TNM, party sources were sure that the CM would not agree with a steering committee. Such a body was compared to a communist polycarbonate. Several leaders argued that this would create multiple centers of power in the party and that this was not the foundation on which the AIADMK was built.
However, with OPS holding its ground, the EPS faction appears to have no other option for now. According to sources close to OPS, deputy CM is clear that if the EPS wants to be the main candidate for the minister, it would have to give up control of the party.
“Currently it is more likely that a steering committee will be formed. There will be 11 members. The Chief Minister will want six of these members to be nominated from his side and will offer the Deputy CM the opportunity to choose five. There are reports that PAHO wants to be the head of the committee, ”says a party source.
Cabinet ministers have been meeting with the two top leaders constantly for the past week to reach consensus. From now on, sources say, EPS will remain the party’s candidate for the post of Chief Minister. However, in return, he will have to give up part of the party’s control according to the steering committee’s constitution.
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