OPS absence at CM meet sparks speculations of Dharmayutham 2.0

The absence of Deputy CM at the district collectors meeting chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to review COVID-19 mitigation measures created wide speculations that the party convenor OPS was getting ready for another ‘dharmayutham’ to set things right in the party.

“OPS is not vying for the post of CM, but he wants to set the party in order and has demanded the help of party senior R Vaithilingam. Though Vaithilingam is in favour of projecting EPS as the CM candidate, the party senior seems to agree with OPS that there is a need for an advisory bureau to assist the party in the upcoming assembly polls,” an informed AIADMK senior told DT Next.

“On October 7 as per the plan, the party is likely to announce the name of EPS as the CM candidate, but who will administer the party during the elections is the issue that is now being discussed,” the source added.

“OPS is keen on forming an 11-member advisory committee to run the party, they will select the district secretaries and also field candidates. But EPS wants the party affairs to be continued in the current mode with assistance from cabinet ministers. Further, a section of AIADMK functionaries feels twhat the ministers from the Kongu region are dominating the party side-lining the other regional satraps. Multiple talks at different levels are going on and a few ministers met the party leader OPS seeking his nod to end the controversy,” another AIADMK senior said.

As the news of OPS skipping the review meeting spread among AIADMK workers, AIADMK seniors lined up at Thenpennai, the official residence of deputy CM.

AIADMK joint convenors R Vaithilingam, K P Munusamy, revenue minister RB Udhayakumar, AIADMK spokesperson Pughazenthi were among those who called on deputy CM OPS. Ramanathapuram legislator and former IT minister M Manikandan who was sacked by CM also met OPS creating further turbulence in the ruling AIADMK.

Later, AIADMK joint convenor KP Munusamy told reporters that he met the OPS as part of the routine party related discussions and claimed that “all is well” with the AIADMK.