CM candidate talk on in AIADMK

Sasikala loyalist and dairy development minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji on Tuesday tweeted the name of Edappadi K Palaniswami as the permanent chief ministerial candidate of AIADMK raising the eyebrows among OPS followers. 

In his tweet, Bhalaji urged the cadre to fix the target and fight the electoral battle under Palaniswami. “Edappadiar endrum mudalvar”, read the tweet sparking retweets and drawing a lot of likes. 

The response comes 24 hours after prominent minister Sellur K Raju had said that winners of AIADMK in 2021 Assembly polls will decide the next chief minister. Two different views aired by AIADMK ministers had rekindled the debate over the dual leadership. 

“All is not well in the ruling camp and there is another issue brewing up within the party with law minister C Ve Shanmugham eyeing for the party top post. The Vanniyar MLAs in the party have started rallying behind the Villupuram strongman demanding the high command to designate him as the AIADMK joint convenor so that Vanniyars like Thevars and Gounders also enjoy top post in the party,” quipped an AIADMK headquarters functionary. 

When contacted AIADMK organising secretary and spokesperson K Samarasam, said, “It is too early to comment or decide on the CM candidate. The party should focus on 234 assembly seats and should strengthen the alliance ahead of the elections, I don’t agree or endorse the views of both the ministers,” he said. The former MLA also termed the speeches of the ministers as a speed breaker for the party ahead of the next year elections. There are no contradictory views at the top level of the AIADMK leadership and the ministers should refrain from such disruptive speeches, Samarasam added. 

Meanwhile, the BJP and pro-BJP outfits that are in alliance with the AIADMK are pitching in the leadership of Superstar Rajinikanth disturbing the sentiments of AIADMK factions. Hindu Makkal Katchi founder Arjun Sampath on Tuesday said that Rajinikanth was gearing up for the launch of his party. “The next election will be an ideological fight between spiritual politics announced by the Superstar and the Dravidian forces,” Sampath told reporters.