CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam, joint coordinator Edappadi K Palnaiswami and VK Sasikala were among those who paid their last respects to the mortal remains of AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudanan on Friday. After paying homage to Madhusudanan, the Chief Minister sat along with Palaniswami and Panneerselvam for a while and offered his condolences.
It was a confluence of functionaries of the AIADMK and the DMK at the residence of Madhusudanan as well as during the final procession. While O Panneerselvam and AIADMK functionaries walked in front of the vehicle carrying the mortal remains of Madhusudanan to the crematorium, HR and CE Minister PK Sekar Babu, who was groomed by Madhusudanan in politics, walked behind the vehicle along with his DMK colleagues. Sekar Babu, due to differences in the AIADMK, joined the DMK in 2011 just ahead of the Assembly elections.
Following the death of Madhusudhanan, who had held the post of presidium chairman for the longest period, a senior functionary is likely to be elected to the post very soon. The names of former Minister C Ponnaiyan, who had held the presidium chairman twice during the times of late leader J Jayalalithaa, former Speaker P Dhanapal, former Minister KA Sengottaiyan, Panruti S Ramachandran, Dindigul C Seenivasan, Thamizhmagan Hussain and S Semmalai are likely to be considered for the post.
Sources said there were differences of opinion between Palaniswami and Panneerselvam on key issues like forming the steering committee for the party and in selection of the opposition leader in the state Assembly. However, after Panneerselvam made his stand clear on VK Sasikala recently, both leaders are expected to take an amicable decision on who is to be appointed as the presidium chairman very soon.