Despite COVID threat, heavy turnout, pomp, fanfare at AIADMK office for EC

The EC meeting of the ruling party attended by the CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam had the pomp and the fanfare dating back to the days of late AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa. Amidst corona pandemic, the supporters of Chief Minister EPS went the extra mile to please the AIADMK leader by arranging different cultural troops, a tusker to welcome the guests. For AIADMK convenor O Panneerselvam there were several cadres with a face mask resembling OPS. OPS supporters also presented a “sword” insisting that the AIADMK convenor sway it towards the AIADMK cadres. Interestingly DT Next witnessed a few cadres shouting slogans for both OPS and EPS as the next CM surprising the onlookers.

The meeting lasted for more than three hours and all the attendees wore masks, and some had mask and face shield. However, social distancing was missing at the party headquarters.

Posters projecting both OPS and EPS as the next CM candidate were common along the road leading to Avvai Shanmugham Salai housing the AIADMK party office. The invitees were not allowed to carry their mobiles and cell phone jammers were placed inside the party headquarters.

“Again, on October 7, there will not be any clarity on the CM candidate issue. And in case if the party loses who will be the leader of the opposition this is another issue that has to be resolved,” said an AIADMK senior who attended the meeting.

“After a very long time Royapattah was colourful with party cadres and our only grievance is that Jayalalithaa Amma is not there with us,” said M Pushpa, an AIADMK worker who had come to welcome the leaders.