The friction between Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) was visible for the state to see on Saturday, as an entourage of ministers shuttled between the residences of both leaders to broker peace. Posters proclaiming O Paneerselvam to be the AIADMK's Chief Ministerial candidate for 2021, had surfaced in Theni district on Independence day even as celebrations led by the Chief Minister were underway in Fort St George.
Sources in AIADMK have now told TNM what led to the OPS faction hinting at a rebellion and what was said in the meetings with both leaders.
"OPS's second son Jayapradeep was interested in a post in the Information Technology wing of the AIADMK. Relatives of other ministers too had put in requests for posts as the wing was expanding," says an AIADMK source privy to details of the meetings. "But this was denied, the reasons gives was that this will lead to allegations of dynastic politics. The Chief Minister took a call against it and this didn't go down well with the OPS and his son," he adds.
Party sources tell TNM, that for the last six months, members close to the OPS camp in Theni have written several things against the Chief Minister. They have allegedly even been warned by the IT wing and threatened with action.
However, things didn't end there. Statements by different ministers deepened the mistrust. While Cooperation Minister Sellur Raju stated that the Chief Ministerial candidate will be selected after the Assembly polls by elected MLAs, Milk and Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Balaji endorsed Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Assembly elections.
"14 ministers, led by P Thangamani and S P Velumani spoke to the Chief Minister and then decided to meet OPS," says the source in the AIADMK. When the ministers arrived at OPS's residence at 11.45 am, no effort was allegedly made by the Deputy Chief Minister to distance himself from the posters.
"The Ministers told him that a decision had to be arrived on for the Chief Ministerial candidate and that the party cannot seem to be divided six months ahead of the election. But to this OPS asked why he can't be considered as the candidate and claimed that both he and EPS share the same amount of charisma. He stated that while EPS got the chance to become CM at that point in 2017, he hadn't," says the AIADMK source.
OPS further demanded that a commitee be formed and members of the committee be empowered to choose the Chief Ministerial candidate. In short he was hinting at a steering committee as he had in 2017 when two factions merged. His loyalists had then been promised membership in this committee.
The Ministers then discussed the same with EPS, according to sources.
"The Chief Minister was very bitter about the way in which the matter was handled by the OPS camp and wanted things to be settled immediately," says the source. "But OPS insisted on giving a joint statement. He also wants the steering committee to decide on the Chief Ministerial candidate," he adds.
In the joint statement, coordinator OPS and joint coordinator EPS urged party members to maintain ‘military-style’ restraint, as was followed under former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. The statement warned that action will be initiated against party members who speak about the party's affair without approval in public.
"We are feeling disillusioned by what is happening. Lakhs of people on the ground are working to help the party on the ground," says another source. "But the top leaders are undermining the party's spirit just months ahead of the polls."