AIADMK ultimatum: Accept EPS as CM candidate or quit alliance

The latest salvo came from senior leader KP Munusamy, the deputy coordinator of the party. “Whether national or State party, we will partner only with the parties that accept the leadership of AIADMK; only those who accept EPS as the CM candidate of the coalition can stay in our alliance,” Munusamy told reporters at Krishnagiri.

Though he did not name the allies, the message is clearly directed at the BJP, as a section of its leaders had expressed reservations over AIADMK announcing incumbent Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami as its CM face in the 2021 polls. Though ruling party leaders had initially refused to be drawn in and maintained that there was no need to react to every single comment, Munusamy has essentially served the ultimatum that the choice of leadership was not open to discussion with allies.

Joining the chorus, former MP A Anwhar Raajhaa said the AIADMK has the strength to go it alone without the BJP in the upcoming polls. “I will approach party coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami with poll data and insist that the AIADMK goes alone in the election,” Anwhar Raajhaa told DT Next.

In the last three decades, the 1996 assembly poll was the worst performance for AIADMK. But the debacle that the party faced in 2019 Lok Sabha polls after aligning with the BJP was far worse, he pointed out. “Alliance parties should strengthen, not dent our vote bank. I will submit a memorandum to our leaders, urging them to go alone in the assembly polls,” he added.

The stern message from the leaders have enthused AIADMK cadre, who are sharing the comments on social media. Many are interpreting this as not only a message to BJP that has been vocal in its comments, but also to the PMK that has been conspicuous with its studied silence even after AIADMK sorted the recent crisis and announced Palaniswami as the CM candidate.