Chief Minister missing in AIADMK posters in city

Political observers believe EPS is maintaining a low-profile for obvious reasons. A Marx, a political observer, said “It is a fact that former interim AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala backed Palanisamy. But she has been convicted in the Disproportionate Assets (DA) case and jailed. In such circumstances, no cadre or minister will ever want to put up wall posters and hoardings to celebrate Palanisamy’s elevation. Also, Sasikala’s image cannot be printed as she is a convict.” 

Palanisamy will gain prominence among cadre only if he garners their support and from the public. Only then he can expect cadre to celebrate his elevation but this might take a long time, Marx noted. The present scenario is similar to the situation in 2001 when O Panneerselvam became Chief Minister after the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was convicted in the Tansi case. 

He gained acceptance among party leaders slowly but steadily. Again, when he was chosen as a Chief Minister after Jayalalithaa was jailed in the DA case again on September 14, 2014, his popularity grew but there was not much of a celebration or evidence of it in posters. However, OPS’ face popped up on wall posters and hoardings when he became Chief Minister for the third time on December 6, 2016, as he was no longer seen as replacement for a jailed leader. Interestingly, Deepa Jayakumar, late Chief Minister Jayalaithaa’s niece who has emerged as a rival to Sasikala, has posters hailing her in many parts of the state. 

Meanwhile, a owner of flex printing services, on the condition of anonymity, said that they had not yet received any order from AIADMK party for flex boards with the face of Palanisamy as yet.