A day after Tamil Nadu Milk and Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Balaji endorsed Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Assembly elections in 2021, Minister for Fisheries Jayakumar said that it was an independent opinion and not the opinion of the party.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, the minister said, “All the AIADMK MPs, MLAs and party workers aim is to bring back the rule of former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. We are working towards the aim and we will come back to power. The party will decide on the Chief Minister candidate.”
He added, “Minister Rajenthra Balaji made the statement as an individual but we cannot take that as a statement of the party. The decision taking bodies of AIADMK will meet together and decide.”
To a question on his opinion on the CM candidature, the minister said, “The party will put forth Puratchi Thalaivar MG Ramachandran, Amma J Jayalalithaa and the winning symbol of the party.”
Tamil Nadu is set to witness the Assembly elections in 2021 and the busing around of the Chief Ministerial candidate of the AIADMK party has already begun.
On Monday, Minister for Cooperation Sellur Raju said that after the Assembly elections, the elected MLAs will join together to decide on the Chief Ministerial candidate. In a tweet, Milk and Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Balaji said, “Edappadiar (Edappadi K Palaniswami) is always the Chief Minister. Let us set the goal and take the field. Let us create a stage by presenting Edappadiar. Let us form a team, Let us win. 2021! Is ours.”
Meanwhile, the vice president of Tamil Nadu unit of BJP VP Duraiswami said BJP has the right to head an alliance in the state.
He said, “Till last week it was AIADMK vs DMK. However, after Ku Ka Selvam’s incident, BJP vs DMK has changed and it is a growth for us. The alliance with BJP will win the elections. We will head the alliance.”
The BJP contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election in an alliance with the AIADMK.