CHENNAI: With more ministers and senior leaders joining the debate on who would be the ruling AIADMK’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections, party coordinator O Panneerselvam on Thursday made an attempt to put an end to it. Without making a mention about the debate, the deputy chief minister said the AIADMK was focussed on winning the upcoming elections, and that would be possible only if the cadres and functionaries adhere to the three fundamental principles of the party — kadamai (duty), kanniyam (decorum), and kattupaadu (discipline).
“If you act with discipline, tomorrow is ours,” Panneerselvam said in two tweets. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is yet to react to this development. Speaking on the issue from the party headquarters, AIADMK deputy convenor KP Munusamy said, “Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is running the government efficiently and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and other ministers have been assisting him in that.
A decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate will be taken at an appropriate time.” When asked about BJP vice president VP Duraisamy’s remark that the BJP would head the alliance in Tamil Nadu for next Assembly elections, Munusamy reacted sharply: “Who has expressed that view? Neither BJP president JP Nadda nor State president L Murugan.
A person who was with some other party till recently has said that obviously with a view of gaining some mileage in the new party in which he joined. We can’t respond to such a person’s views. The reporters should clarify whether the BJP leadership has given powers to Duraisamy to convey such views,” he added.
Meanwhile, in Tirunelveli, the party’s organising secretary Sudha K Paramasivan and other party functionaries extended their support to Edappadi K Palaniswami. “He had saved the party from splitting up after the demise of Jayalalithaa. AIADMK district unit is ready to work for him and there is no difference of opinion. Our party will win in all the 234 constituencies of Tamil Nadu, including ten constituencies in the combined Tirunelveli district,” he said.
Support for EPS
AIADMK organising secretary Sudha K Paramasivan and other party functionaries extended their support to Edappadi K Palaniswami in Tirunelveli. “He had saved the party from splitting up after the demise of Jayalalithaa. AIADMK district unit is ready to work for him and there is no difference of opinion. Our party will win in all the 234 constituencies,” he said.