AIADMK may name CM face for 2021 polls on October 7

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami, Deputy Chief Minister O Pannerselvam, and other executive members. (Express photo)

Amid reports of issues within the AIADMK leadership on a complaint that Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his associates were being sidelined by top leaders, a party executive council meeting on Monday decided to announce the CM candidate on October 7 for the Assembly elections expected to be held in May next year.

After a five-hour meeting of the council, the party’s deputy coordinator K P Munusamy said the AIADMK has decided to “stay united and fight the election” next year.

While sources close to Panneerselvam had earlier hinted that there will be heated arguments in the meeting challenging Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to protest against his approach towards the Panneerselvam faction, multiple sources said that they discussed issues but there were no heated arguments.

“Naturally, it was unlikely to witness heated arguments as Panneerselvam has lost his support base in the past four years. If he had 11 MLAs when he merged the faction with the ruling faction, he is left with the support of hardly five MLAs now. Those who received posts in the Cabinet and Rajya Sabha have shifted their loyalty to the Palaniswami camp. But a small section is still asserting for more space for Panneerselvam,” said a senior AIADMK minister who attended the high-level meeting at the AIADMK headquarters in the city.

Meanwhile, there was no discussion on the likely release of ousted party chief V K Sasikala from jail even as informal negotiations were held for a possible merger.

The council passed 15 resolutions on Monday, including the government’s political stand against the Centre’s three-language policy. A resolution reiterated that former CM C N Annadurai’s two-language policy will continue in the state.

Another resolution demanded that the Centre release the statutory dues under GST totalling Rs 4,073 crore, dues under various schemes amounting Rs to 16,505.32 crore and subsidies of Rs 3,185.04 crore.

The meeting also congratulated the AIADMK government and its machinery for setting an example for the country in Covid-19 management and maintenance of law and order.

A resolution urged the Centre to give up NEET considering the state government’s arguments.

The meeting sought the support of the Union government, banking authorities, industries and all sections to revive the economy.

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