CHENNAI: Minister for Dairy Development KT Rajenthra Bhalaji, who is known for expressing candid views, stirred a debate on Tuesday by proposing Edappadi K Palaniswami as the Chief Minister candidate of the AIADMK for the 2021 assembly elections though the party has been under dual leadership for the past few years after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
Bhalaji said Palaniswami had earned the goodwill of the masses by his style of functioning and that leading the party to victory in the assembly elections would be easier by projecting him as the CM candidate.
Bhalaji's statement was seemingly a response to his Ministerial colleague Sellur K Raju who on Monday said, "As far as the AIADMK is concerned, whoever they elect as their legislative party leader after the election, that leader will be the Chief Minister. There is no counter view on this." Raju was replying to a query on who would be the CM candidate for the 2021 elections since the party has dual leadership.
However, Bhalaji said he just aired his views and it's not in response to Raju's comment. But the back-to-back statements have stirred a debate over the Chief Minister candidate for the AIADMK even as the elections are several months away.
For over three years, the AIADMK has been functioning with dual leadership -- while Palaniswami is heading the government, deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is heading the party. However, it is obvious that Palaniswami has positioned himself as a strong leader during these years. Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are yet to respond to Bhalaji's statement.
In his tweet, Bhalaji said, "Edappadiyar (Palaniswami) is Chief Minister forever. Let us face the election by projecting him as the Chief Minister candidate and win the election. Ours is the victory in 2021!"
Talking to The New Indian Express, Bhalaji explained why he wants to project Palaniswami as the Chief Minister candidate: "AIADMK is a strong political party. After the demise of Amma (J Jayalalithaa), Edappadiyar (Palaniswami) has been running the government successfully for the welfare of the poor. People started seeing him as a fighter on the field."
Bhalaji is all praise for Palaniswami. He went on to say: "Across the globe, top leaders are hiding in their houses. In Tamil Nadu, the Opposition leader contacts his partymen only through video
conferences. But Palaniswami leads the officials by being a frontline worker. He visits every district to review the ongoing measures for the prevention of this treaded infection. This has touched the hearts of the laymen in the state. He has instilled faith among them that there is a leader to save them. So, whoever works for the welfare of the poor alone can come to power."
Asked whether his view would not create ripples in the AIADMK since the party has been functioning under dual leadership for the past few years, Rajenthra Bhalaji shot back, "The party may have dual leadership. But the government should have only a single leadership and that is Edappadiyar (Edappadi K Palaniswami)."
Asked why he expressed his views at this juncture, the Minister quipped, "This is the right time to convey this view. If it is not said now, it can never be. Today is Krishna Jayanthi, an
auspicious day. So, I have conveyed a good thing today."