Advantage EPS in govt, party: Is OPS opting out of CM’s race in 2021?

While the ruling AIADMK has been clinging to the concept of dual leadership comprising convenor Panneerselvam (OPS) and Joint Convenor Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), the AIADMK government is however keen on promoting Chief Minister Palaniswami as its face. The Chief Minister’s chamber and state public information department are now working overtime focusing on a series of schemes and projects that would promote Palaniswami as the number one leader of the state as a run-up to the next Assembly polls in 2021.

“One cannot miss the makeshift large-sized LED displays in T Nagar, the commercial hub of capital Chennai screening the state government schemes along with the beneficiaries. The visuals not only portray the state schemes, but the beneficiary voices are thanking Chief Minister Palaniswami,” an AIADMK source said.  

On the other hand, the happy party functionaries mostly spotted with government contractors are busily popularising political titles awarded to Palaniswami like – Cauvery Kappalan (saviour of Cauvery delta region), Kongu Naattu Thangam (the gold of Kongu region) Salethu Singam (the lion of Salem) etc. 

Observers have noticed pictures of Chief Minister ploughing on the paddy field, driving a tractor have an increased font size for Palaniswami’s name and images of the AIADMK joint convenor are also slowly gaining hold in the government-sponsored functions.

The photo exhibition display boards maintained by the public relation department at state Secretariat now houses pictures of Palaniswami to an extent of 90 per cent overshadowing the other senior AIADMK leaders.

The state government had also churned out videos that focus on the robust growth of Salem and the Kongu region (Western Tamil Nadu) considered to be a stronghold of the Chief Minister.

According to party insiders, brand EPS is being popularised in the northern region comprising capital Chennai, delta and western TN whereas down south comprising Theni, Ramanathapuram and Madurai districts, Panneerselvam is still the tall leader in the AIADMK circle.

Will OPS accept EPS as the party’s chief minister candidate is still a big question that awaits an answer, but the fact is that EPS has overshadowed his senior both in the party and in the government, opined political commentator SP Lakshmanan.

 “There may be compromises from team OPS and EPS will not try to antagonise the party Convenor. To keep the caste equations of Goundars and Thevars intact, the AIADMK leaders will bury the differences. The government and the party will project only Palaniswami as the next CM candidate,” Lakshmanan added.

“There can be only one Chief Minister candidate and going by the current scheme of things, the AIADMK will promote Palaniswami as the next CM. Further OPS has become too submissive and his body language in my views shows that the former CM is not in the political race,” opined political commentator Tharasu Shyam. “The party may have dual leadership with the B-form signing authority for both, but there can be only one CM candidate.”

But there are voices within the AIADMK stating that it is not going to be a smooth sail for EPS when the polls are nearing. “Former union minister Azhagiri and DMK leader MK Stalin were too powerful during the days of Karunanidhi as CM, but when the AIADMK government was formed, Azhagiri called as braveheart fizzled out and Stalin was a loser in the Assembly polls, the same may happen for EPS if the DMK forms the government,” opined an AIADMK senior who has served as a district secretary and a former MLA.

“The dual leadership is not ideal for the state, if the AIADMK loses heavily, EPS will be abandoned giving advantage for OPS or TTV Dhinakaran, if at all AMMK merged.

If OPS or any other leader takes a chance revolting against the CM, then the dissenting AIADMK workers will follow them. “There is a lot of discomfort within the AIADMK,” the senior leader added.