Dindigul Sreenivasan confident of EPS candidate’s victory

MADURAI: While various political parties are vying to win the race in the ensuing bypoll to Erode East Assembly constituency scheduled for February 27, AIADMK treasurer Dindigul C Sreenivasan exuded confidence that the Edappadi K Palaniswami–led AIADMK would achieve a massive victory from this much talked about constituency.

Talking to reporters at Theni, Sreenivasan said it would be a historical moment for the EPS led faction as the party would score a major victory similar to the victory earned by the AIADMK founder and former chief minister MG Ramachandran in the bypoll to Dindigul Lok Sabha election, which marked a turning point in the Tamil Nadu political scene.

If any party exists to the present day, it should be ready to contest polls. Citing these, Sreenivasan wondered why AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam led faction’s contest remains uncertain as OPS himself was ready to give up the much-anticipated contest and make way for the BJP.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK treasurer ruled out any talk of merger of the two factions within the party. Further, he said it would be a shame to compare OPS with us (EPS faction) because he regarded OPS as a ‘mouse’ (sundeli) and EPS as an elephant (yaanai). He also added that the ruling DMK failed to deliver on its promises made by the party’s manifesto ahead of Assembly polls in 2021 and it would be a significant highlight in the upcoming bypoll campaign.

STK Jakkaiyan, organisation secretary of AIADMK, RB Udhayakumar, Thirumangalam MLA, former minister KC Karuppannan and others accompanied him.

State unit’s decision in two days, says BJP leader KP Ramalingam

BJP state vice president KP Ramalingam on Sunday said the party’s decision on Erode East constituency bypoll will be announced by president K Annamalai in two days.

Calling for the Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam factions to join together in their fight against the DMK, Ramalingam said there is still a possibility of them coming together as there is more time left for the bypolls.

“However, the BJP is not in a position to mediate between the two factions of the AIADMK. We do not like to interfere in the affairs of another party,” he said.

Claiming that the BJP will seek support from the public against the corrupt DMK government, Ramalingam said people are also in a mindset to oust the DMK.

Alleging that Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is a playful child, who does not know history, Ramalingam said the government should come out with a white paper on the revenue generated by the HR&CE department and if possible a separate budget should be announced for it.

Further, the BJP leader said that PMK, even if it does not contest the polls, is very well a part of their alliance.

OPS man will forfeit deposit, says Jayakumar

Calling ousted AIADMK leader and former chief minister O Panneerselvam as “B-team” of the ruling DMK, senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar on Sunday said if OPS fields his candidate in the Erode East Constituency bypoll, he would forfeit his/her deposit.

The candidate fielded by OPS for the February 27 bypoll, which was necessitated following the demise of Congress MLA E Thirumahan Everaa, would be considered as an independent candidate, said Jayakumar, a strong supporter of Edappadi K Palaniswami.

“OPS’s candidate would poll less than NOTA,” he said and added that OPS was operating like DMK’s B-team.

Jayakumar ridiculed OPS’s visit to Ahmedabad to reportedly participate in Gujarat Tamil Sangam’s Pongal festival and said, “He can go to Bihar, Odisha or anywhere, we are least concerned about it.”