Modi, Shah images on OPS camp's hoarding in TN throws a surprise

CHENNAI: Life-size portraits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah forms part of a huge hoarding put up by here on Thursday by the rebel AIADMK camp and it has raised many eyebrows in the political arena.

The hoarding, featuring Modi and Shah has been put up here by the rebel AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam's (OPS) camp. OPS has been making fresh appointments to 'party posts' and the hoarding is a publicity initiative by the supporters of new appointees here.

In the billboard, Modi and Shah could be seen waving at people. A smiling, bright image of Panneerselvam is prominently featured in the middle of the hoarding.

Dramatic scenes were witnessed when new office-bearers garlanded a statue of Dravidian icon C N Annadurai, here. A heavy-lift crane, with a mega garland placed on the hook, majestically rolled on to the spot. The crane brought the garland close to the tall statue and new appointees, standing on an elevated platform picked it and garlanded the statue in a grand show of their arrival.

Though the images of Modi and Shah has surprised several people in the political spectrum in Tamil Nadu, political watchers say that OPS camp is trying its best to regain Panneerselvam's lost importance in the AIADMK. Projecting a better proximity to the top two national leaders could be used to have more leverage, they say.

Both Edappadi K Palaniswami, AIADMK's interim general secretary and OPS have friendly relationship with Modi and Shah. Annadurai, the founder of DMK and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is an icon of the Dravidian movement.

The PM is slated to attend the inaugural event of the 44th Chess Olympiad on Thursday here.