Poll debacle deepens crisis in AIADMK

The loss of power has deepened the leadership crisis in the AIADMK and the factional fight has spilled on to the streets. Despite the defeat in the Assembly elections, former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, whose stewardship of the party helped secure the AIADMK-led alliance 75 seats, has increased his iron grip over the party, effectively marginalising his rival and former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, writes ETV Bharat's Chennai Bureau Chief MC Rajan.

Chennai: After the AIADMK was voted out of power in the state assembly election, the leadership crisis in the party has resurfaced with the facade of the diarchy vanishing into thin air.

The election of the Legislature Party leader on Monday has turned out to be a fight to the finish between former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS)and his rival and former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS).

It was a fight to the finish and the factional war has spilled on to the streets as well. OPS found himself to be a loner unable to stomach the humiliation.

It was yet another proof of EPS increasing his vice-like grip over the AIADMK, making it clear that even in defeat he can't brook any challenge to his authority.

Of the 75 seats won by the AIADMK combine, the Dravidian major alone secured 66 seats of which 40 were from western Tamil Nadu, popularly called as the Kongu region.

EPS, who belongs to the dominant OBC Gounder community of this region, has consolidated his hold effectively erasing the perception that the AIADMK is a party of the Thevars, the dominant OBC community in southern Tamil Nadu.

Adding to his woes, OPS could only retain his seat in Bodinayakkanur in his native Theni district where the AIADMK was routed.

The presence of TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK in the electoral arena has cost the AIADMK dearly in the south. And unlike EPS, who campaigned in all the 234 constituencies, OPS was mostly confined to his seat.

Yet, after the results were out on May 2, OPS staked his claim to be the Leader of the Opposition.

Some of his close aides in the party, including party deputy coordinator, KP Munusamy and a few former ministers were engaged in negotiations to convince EPS who stayed put at Salem.

However, EPS was unrelenting to cede any more political space to OPS. Meanwhile, he had won over a few MLAs from the south, leaving OPS little room for manoeuvre.

The MLAs meeting last week was inconclusive so that a unanimous decision could be arrived at.

The OPS camp blamed EPS for the party's rout in the south. According to OPS supporter PH Pandian, who won from Alangulam, EPS granting 10.5% quota within the Most Backward Classes (MBC) to the Vanniyar's has alienated the Thevars and others, resulting in the electoral loss in the southern districts.

Hence, to retrieve the lost ground, it is necessary that a person from the Thevar community is made the Leader of the Opposition.

When this failed, OPS attempted to drive a wedge in the Kongu camp by proposing former Speaker P Dhanapal, a Dalit, for the office. But, that too proved futile.

Supporters of EPS were seen thrashing a portrait of OPS with footwear and a huge police force was deployed around the AIADMK office in Royapettah to avert any untoward violence.

All along he had been a loyal soldier of Jayalalithaa and was made Chief Minister twice as a stop-gap arrangement and the third time after her death in 2016.

When he was forced to resign to pave the way for VK Sasikala to occupy the CM post, he revolted and led a 'Dharma Yudh' only to return to the party fold later in August 2017.

The merger envisioned a diarchy with OPS being the party's Coordinator and EPS being the joint coordinator and CM.

Ever since the merger, OPS has been forced to play second fiddle with his primacy in the party fading away.

Whether OPS would launch a second 'Dharma Yudh' or move to the Sasikala camp to counter EPS and the domination of the Gounders remains to be seen.