Despite boasting about social justice, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin failed to support tribal presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu said AIADMK Co-coordinator Edappadi Palaniswamy (EPS) while he said AIADMK wholeheartedly will support Murmu in the upcoming presidential elections.
On July 2, Saturday, AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami announced the party’s support for the BJP’s Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, who is visiting Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to garner political leaders’ support. EPS also criticised the incumbent CM, MK Stalin, for not supporting a tribal candidate while the DMK preaches about social justice.
At an event in the Taj Hotel in Nungambakkam, Chennai on Saturday, July 2, EPS welcomed Murmu with a bouquet and a shawl, while EPS's rival and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) was also in the hotel but stayed in a room while EPS took the stage. Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries of India, L Murugan, BJP Tamil Nadu state president Annamalai, MLA Vanathi Sreenivasan were also present on the stage with EPS.
After EPS, OPS also extended his support to Murmu. “In the Indian Presidential election, at the behest of AIADMK, I support Draupadi Murmu, the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance,” he told reporters. When he asked about EPS camp's claim about the removal of the post of the AIADMK Party Coordinator, OPS said by the party's bye-laws, that he is still the coordinator of the party.
After the AIADMK’s General Council meeting in Vanagaram, Chennai, on June 23, this is the first event where OPS and EPS have both participated. In the Vanagaram meeting, AIADMK General Council members demanded a single leadership for the party and demanded that a date be set aside to discuss unitary leadership. This demand made OPS leave the council meeting. The next council meeting will take place on July 11.
Draupadi Murmu is a tribal leader from Odisha and held the office of Jharkhand governor from 2015 to 2021. On June 21, the NDA announced her as its Presidential candidate for the election upcoming on July 18. If she is elected, she will be the second woman President and the first tribal President of India. The opposition had announced former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha as its joint candidate for the President’s post.