Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam came face-to-face at the official Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations on Friday, four days after they were involved in a spar at the AIADMK executive committee meeting.
However, the two did not converse, despite standing next to each other.
The Chief Minister and his deputy were later seated on either sides of Governor Banwarilal Purohit during the event, in adherence to physical distancing norms.
Tributes paid
As per protocol, Mr. Palaniswami paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue after the Governor. Mr. Panneerselvam followed suit.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Mr. Panneerselvam did not attend COVID-19 review meetings that were chaired by the Chief Minister.
Amid the strain in relationship between Mr. Panneerselvam, who is also the AIADMK coordinator, and Mr. Palaniswami, the co-coordinator, buzz was created for a few hours, after a tweet on Friday afternoon from the party’s official handle, @AIADMKOfficial, said that all ruling party MLAs had been ordered by the “party headquarters” to come to Chennai on October 6.
Creating a stir
Against the backdrop of party’s second-line leader K.P. Munusamy’s earlier announcement that the AIADMK’s Chief Ministerial candidate for 2021 Assembly elections would be announced on October 7, the tweet created a stir.
A legislator said he did not receive any communication on the issue.
However, by evening, the party’s Twitter handle deleted the tweet without any explanation.
Meanwhile, at a separate event, Mr. Palaniswami, Mr. Panneerselvam and Ministers paid floral tributes at the memorial of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj in Guindy.