ADMK's strong demands to BJP: Are EPS and OPS preparing to rival against Modi?

Amid the unprecedented speculations and tussle in the intra-party circle, the Tamil Nadu ruling ADMK party has convened its executive committee meeting in Chennai on Monday with several crucial agendas on the fray, which the party would be mulling to fix the issues with truce and consensus to hit the campaign trail for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. 

The meeting has been convened at the party headquarters in Chennai and it would be a sequel of the high-level party meeting that was convened on September 19 during which the behind the screen tussle was brought to the daylight as the intra-party furor on the who would be the next Chief Ministerial candidate in the party and during the meet, the state had witnessed intense sloganeering from the supporters of Edappadi Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, with the supporters hailing and endorsing their respective leaders to be the face of the party and the Chief Ministerial candidate in the elections.

With the strong tussle, the high-level meeting was concluded with neither attaining a conclusion nor a consensus. The meeting came to an end after the Chief Minister issued a note of caution by citing that the difference of opinion might expand the drift and the leaders asserted that the decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate would be taken in the executive committee meeting that has been scheduled on September 28. According to reports, the faction headed by Panneerselvam had demanded to install the 11-member steering committee in the party has been one of the demands kept by Panneerselvam to get merged with Palaniswami's faction in 2017. 

Panneerselvam has demanded a majority of representation in the steering committee to enhance his stronghold in the party and his base of the supporters. However, according to the sources, the formation of the committee would be less likely as Edappadi Palanswami and his supporters are voicing against it with the ethos to keep the key with them to operate the party. 

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Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam arrives at the party headquarters for attending the executive committee meet - Sep, 28, 2020

 

Being surfaced with the issues of forming the steering committee, picking up the Chief Ministerial candidate, withholding the party's base during the elections, chalking out the plan to meet the release of jailed leader VK Sasikala, and facing the voters with headed accusations on supporting the farm bills and controversial policies of the center, the ADMK party has convened the executive committee meeting on Monday and all eyes are on the party on how it is going to frame a truce to the dissents that have been irking both the factions. 

Monday's executive committee meeting has been significant for the party as it has been getting prepared for the upcoming assembly polls, the first legislative elections since then Chief Minister and party's supremo Jayalalithaa had passed away and though Edappadi Palaniswami had steered the current government, that was formed by the late leader, to its fullest term amid the intra-party confrontations and allegations from the opposition, the upcoming polls would be the real test for the Chief Minister if he wishes to stay as the captain in sailing the party's ship, that has been broken by the dissents and debacles. 

According to the sources, the party's executive committee meeting had stirred the expectations on who will be the Chief Ministerial candidate and on the key factors including the alliance in the upcoming polls, dealing with VK Sasikala and her party as it has been expected that she would be released from the prison soon, and dotting up the dissents by reaching a feasible, if not permanent, truce. 

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Supporters of ADMK's Panneerselvam queued to welcome their leader to the party's executive committee meeting - Sep.28, 2020

 

The sources further stated that the party would be adopting several resolutions against the Central ruling BJP government during the executive committee meeting. Some of the resolutions include condemning the BJP government for not releasing the GST dues to the state and for conducting the NEET exams, the party had demanded the Center to repeal the NEET exams, and reiterated the two-language system in the state. The sources added that the meet had witnessed a war of words between the supporters of Edappadi Palaniswami and Panneerselvam in naming their respective leaders as the Chief Ministerial candidate. 

According to the latest reports, the ADMK party has passed and adopted 15 resolutions against the Center, signaling that the party is preparing to take on the Central ruling BJP. Earlier, the supporters of Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam were seen wearing the masks with the face of their leader etched on it as they welcomed Panneerselvam to the meeting. 

Also-read: EPS VS OPS...THE TUSSLE FOR POWER GROWS STRONGER! WHO WOULD BE THE FACE OF THE PARTY IN THE 2021 POLLS?

 

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