EPS working on to pacify insiders post poll pact

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami who had successfully clinched the poll alliance is now working on strategies to pacify the agitated MPs. According to confidential party sources, vacant party posts and chairman posts in various government committees are waiting for the sulking party seniors.

AIADMK MPs representing Arakkonam, Cuddalore, South Chennai, North Chennai, Vellore, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Namakkal and Tirupur may have to give away their seats as the alliance partners are eyeing those seats, sources said.

Informed sources also rubbished news reports stating that P Raveendranath, son of party convenor O Panneerselvam, P Mithun, son of the Chief Minister, VV Raj Satyan, son of Rajan Chellapa, Madurai based strongman, S Pravin, son of Industries Minister MC Sampath and D Lokesh son of Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal are likely to be party contestants in the upcoming polls.

“Chief Minister Palaniswami and party convenor Panneerselvam has emerged as strong leaders and they have formed a victory alliance. Following the lines of Amma (Jayalalithaa) they have been fighting against the nepotism promoted by the DMK first family. The AIADMK executive committee which decides on the party tickets will not encourage the “rising sons”and this is not DMK,” former AIADMK MLA K Sreenivasan, member in AIADMK poll works committee told DT Next.

These are ‘media reports’ promoted by vested interests to defame our party.

When asked if the father of Health Minister Vijaya Baskar and siblings of AIADMK Ministers have sought party tickets, Srinivasan said that there is nothing wrong in seeking party tickets, but the fundamental truth is that the AIADMK follows one person one post policy. “There were a few exceptional cases like south Chennai MP D Jayavardhan, son of Minister D Jayakumar and this rare decision was taken by Amma, but in principle the party does not encourage nepotism.”

Commenting on the same, former AIADMK MP KC Palanisamy said if Amma was alive these unnatural alliances and the political heirs seeking tickets will not have occurred. “In my opinion, there are possibilities for the AIADMK high command to give seats for the relatives of sitting Ministers fearing revolt,” he said.

“For example, Minister CVe Shanmugham’s brother Radhakrishnan who has funded the New J Channel has demanded party ticket, similarly OPS son has sought ticket. Fearing revolt, the party may give tickets to political heirs as both EPS and OPS are not strong leader like Amma,” he opined.