Winner of battles, EPS faces toughest test in OPS

O Panneerselvam, who holds the post of AIADMK convenor is throwing multiple spanners into the plans of joint convenor Palaniswami.

Despite having 90 per cent control over the state cabinet, team EPS is unable to declare EPS as the official chief ministerial candidate of the party to take on the DMK leader MK Stalin.

“Twice the attempt to declare EPS as the CM candidate has been thwarted by OPS and October 7 will be the third attempt. OPS is ready to withdraw from the CM race, but he is eyeing the coveted post of AIADMK general secretary held by Amma (Jayalalithaa) along with a politburo that will administer the party.

After being pacified by the AIADMK functionaries OPS had skipped the visit to his native Theni district and had wondered the need for CM candidate when the Assembly polls are seven- months away,” a former AIADMK MP told DT Next.

OPS has made it clear to the supporters of EPS that he is not going to sign any party related announcements until his demands are addressed.

According to AIADMK sources, there were late-night rumours on Tuesday that OPS is planning to quit the Cabinet by resigning from the post of deputy CM. However, a soft-spoken OPS was pacified by a few AIADMK seniors. Subsequently, OPS decided to skip the visit to his native Theni district in his private car.

However, on Wednesday the deputy CM attended a CMDA review meeting bringing temporary relief for the state Cabinet. The AIADMK leaders are to hold another fresh round of talks in deciding the CM candidate ahead of the self-imposed October 7 deadline, AIADMK sources said.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister Dindigul Sreenivasan told reporters here that the party leaders will announce EPS as the next CM candidate on October 7 and blamed the media for trying to create a rift within the AIADMK leaders.