People skills, PR propel EPS’s popularity

CHENNAI: What went wrong for AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam? Why is he losing support from his party district secretaries and MLAs? At the same time, how is Edappadi K Palaniswami getting more support? These are the questions making rounds among political observers and officers in the State.

Several AIADMK workers and office-bearers say they’re disappointed by OPS’ political developments, as he was ‘too soft’ and at times, ‘naïve’ and hence miscalculates the political nuances and strategies unveiled by EPS regularly.

But more than the strategy, it’s the spendthrift attitude and the access to party men had escalated EPS to this position.

Accessing EPS had always been easy even when he was the Chief Minister but reaching out to OPS is tough. And in the case of doing favours to the party men, EPS had an edge over OPS, party insiders admitted.

In fact, EPS became popular at party headquarters only after he became a minister in former CM Jayalalithaa’s cabinet. But OPS, despite being the Chief Minister twice, lacks the skills that propelled EPS’s popularity — people management and PR.

Above all, EPS had always projected himself as a bold opponent to the DMK. Ignoring the invitation of CM Stalin’s swearing-in ceremony and denial of burial space to former CM Kalaignar Karunanidhi on Marina Beach made EPS stand out from the rest of AIADMK leaders, party insiders noted.