New boss EPS has a herculean task to rebuild AIADMK
The power struggle in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu, has nearly ended, as Edappadi K Palaniswami, popularly called EPS, took charge as its new general secretary. It is curtains down—well almost—for the drama that unfolded as a result of the leadership feud between the two rival leaders—EPS and former CM, O Panneerselvam. The Madras High Court verdict has put the final nail in the dual leadership structure by which EPS and OPS share power. The legal process may continue for some more time, but the chances of overturning the HC order are slim. No doubt, the verdict was a blow to OPS, who fought the move to abolish dual leadership. And it has certainly breathed fresh life into the party apparatus by putting EPS firmly in the saddle.
The Dravidian party, once headed by MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, two mass leaders who didn’t bother to nurture a second line of leadership, was rudderless after the defeat in the Assembly elections in 2021. Ever since MK Stalin took the reins of the government two years ago, the opposition party has failed to effectively raise people’s demands and issues. The AIADMK lost its foundational strength right after Jayalalithaa’s demise in December 2016. Neither OPS nor EPS got a chance to prove their mettle as a leader who could hold the party together till the Assembly polls.
As the ground support swells for EPS, two other figures—VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran—who once wielded immense power but were expelled by AIADMK, have been reduced to leaders without a mass following. While the BJP struggles to get a firm footing in the state, the AIADMK can easily reclaim the space of the main opposition party. Active opposition is a vital part of the democratic framework. The revival of AIADMK can do a lot of good for Tamil Nadu’s distinct polity.
Nevertheless, it is going to be a long road ahead for EPS. His priority is strengthening the party’s rank and file, and he has announced a mega membership drive starting April 5. The move assumes significance as the ruling DMK is also launching a massive membership drive to enrol one crore new members in two months. EPS has a Herculean task ahead of preparing the party for the 2024 general elections.