OPS-EPS camps still ‘flex’ muscles with banner

The centenary celebrations of AIADMK founder MGR, have become an occasion for party men to exhibit their loyalties to the Chief Minister or the Deputy Chief Minister.

The latest being the celebrations at Dindigul, the native of Forest Minister Dindigul Sreenivasan and former electricity minister ‘Natham’ R Viswanathan.

A poster by the supporters of Panneerselvam showing his picture in mega size and carrying the image of the Chief Minister in smaller size in the same poster triggered dissatisfaction among the latter’s supporters.

However, as a damage control the district functionaries immediately placed banners having Palaniswami’s image larger than Panneerselvam near the previous one.

In another notable fight in the district, the supporters of Forests Minister had totally ignored another local strongman Natham R Viswanathan in the posters.

However, those backing the former minister had given a place to Sreenivasan in their flex banners. The name of MP Udhayakumar too was ignored in the earlier posters, but later added by the district functionaries.

The erection of flex banners had already become an issue as people complained that it was affecting traffic and causing accidents. However, it has become a political tool for drumming up support to various leaders in the AIADMK and making their faces more familiar to the people, since the party is in a transition state after the demise of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.