Hitherto, the practice was to replace the former CM’s picture with that of the incumbent in government offices alone, while ration shops were largely left out of this move. Strangely enough, the chairman of Karpagam wholesale stores is Sumaithangi Elumalai of the AIADMK. Enquiries, revealed that the move was the work of senior officials of the cooperatives to exhibit their loyalty to the ruling dispensation. “DMK men might have complained to local Ministers that the MD belonged to the AIADMK. Hence, to safeguard themselves they might have resorted to this act,” said an AIADMK functionary P Natarajan. However, the move seems to have turned into an ammunition for the Opposition AIADMK to target the ruling party. “AIADMK cadre plan to demand that if Karunanidhi’s picture can be put up, then pictures of MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K Palaniswami should also find a place on the walls of ration shops and offices,” said AIADMK Vellore urban district secretary SRK Appu.
