Stalin wishes ‘AIADMK coordinator’ OPS speedy recovery from Covid

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday wished former chief minister O Panneerselvam a speedy recovery from Covid infection. Panneerselvam was admitted to a hospital on Friday after he tested positive for Covid.

In a message posted on his official Twitter handle, Stalin, who has also been hospitalised in the city for Covid, said, "I wish AIADMK coordinator and deputy leader of opposition O Panneerselvam, who is being treated for Covid infection, a speedy recovery."

More than the courteous message, Stalin's choice of vocabulary has raised eyebrows in the political circles. That Stalin has chosen to describe Panneerselvam as the "AIADMK coordinator", the post he was sacked from at the July 11 AIADMK general council which also expelled him from the party and elected incumbent Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami as interim general secretary of the AIADMK, has thrown some light on the ruling DMK's stand on the political turmoil in the principal opposition party.

While ally BJP and erstwhile ally PMK acknowledged the elevation of Palaniswami, the ruling DMK has been silent on the issue after Monday's guard change in the AIADMK. If Stalin's description of OPS in the message is an indicator, it is amply clear that the ruling party is unwilling to acknowledge EPS' coronation. Stalin's description might have also offered fodder to EPS-led AIADMK members to make fresh allegations about the DMK's role in the AIADMK leadership crisis.