PWF leaders turn down OPS camp’s olive branch

Reliable sources in PWF camp told DTNext that an entrepreneur turned minister in OPS camp had called a senior state CPI(M) leader over phone to fix a meeting with PWF leaders, possibly, to muster their support for RK Nagar by poll. 

However, the Marxist leader had politely declined the offer and informed him that they were keen on fielding a candidate on their own and it was untimely to even host their leaders at this juncture. 

Meanwhile, speculations were rife in OPS camp that they might field old horse E Madhusoodhanan, who had been elected from the same RK Nagar constituency way back in 1991 during Jayalalithaa’s first term as Chief Minister. A senior leader of the OPS camp confided to this paper and said they would put their full weight behind Madhusoodhanan to wrest control of the RK Nagar which would lend credence to their claim of being the original AIADMK. 

“Since the vacancy has been caused by Jayalalithaa’s death, there would be sympathy wave. R K Nagar has sufficiently expressed its unhappiness over the split in the party. Madhusoodhanan being the son of the soil, the OPS camp which enjoys more support than Deepa would have an advantage. Deepa will not make any big impact,” said political analyst Professor Bernard D Sami of Loyola. 

The DMK seems most likely to field Shimla Muthuchozhan who had bit dust against Jayalalithaa in R K Nagar already in 2016. Senior DMK leaders believe the three-way split in the ruling party would give them an electoral advantage.

However, the DMK would be found wanting if it completely discredits Vijayakanth’s DMDK and PWF, who, though small players, could play spoilsport in what seems to be a direct fight between them and Sasikala’s AIADMK, which has the power of administration behind it.