AIADMK identifying areas to be fortified ahead of 2021 polls

Insiders said that Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, party convener, have almost resolved to share crucial posts of district secretaries equally between them. As part of the party reorganisation, the leaders have also cancelled the village panchayat president posts. AIADMK will bifurcate Chennai so that there could be more district secretaries, sources added.

“With elections next year, tough times will soon start for the AIADMK. Only AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran can bail out the party and another major issue will be corruption cases against the Ministers,” said AMMK leader and former RK Nagar MLA P Vettrivel.

“Several party seniors have silently started analysing the prospects beyond 2021. Factors like economic impact of coronavirus, the release of Jayalalithaa’s aide VK Sasikala, Rajnikanth’s entry into politics and 2021 polls will have a direct impact on the party, but AIADMK leaders Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are also gearing up and will lead the party in the next elections,” said Poonga Nagar Selvam, north Chennai MGR Mandram functionary.

“In the next six months, there will be turbulence between the factions led by EPS and OPS and there are other Ministers who have emerged strong due to their cash-rich portfolios. The emergence of SP Velumani, P Thangamani and C Vijaya Baskar has irked the party old-timers,” revealed an AIADMK MLA under condition of anonymity. Minister Rajenthra Bhalaji has lost the district secretary post and former IT minister Manikandan both his portfolio and the district secretary posts. All these factors and the arrival of Sasikala will upset the camp, the MLA added.

All is not well in the ruling camp, fumed a party IT wing functionary after Manikandan was sidelined by the party and Ministers like SP Velumani and Vijaya Baskar developed their own public relations and IT teams.