AIADMK steps into 49th year,  aims at retaining power in golden jubilee year

CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK today stepped into its 49th year.  To mark the occasion, the party coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam hoisted the AIADMK flag at party headquarters and distributed sweets to the cadre.   

Meanwhile, at Siluvampalayam in Salem district, AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami hoisted the party flag.  The Chief Minister, who was scheduled to attend the celebrations at the party’s headquarters in Chennai could not do so since he is taking part in the post-death rituals for his mother who passed away on October 13. 

At the party headquarters, Panneerselvam presented financial assistance to the tune of Rs.26.39 lakh to 28 students who are pursuing medical courses in various stages.  

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam have exhorted the party functionaries to work unitedly to retain power in 2021 too by winning the Assembly elections which are just seven months away.

Recently, the row over the Chief Minister candidate of the party caused some unrest within the party for some time and it was amicably settled by projecting Palaniswami as the CM candidate while forming the 11-member steering committee. 

A breakaway faction of the DMK, the AIADMK launched in 1972 by MG Ramachandran, made great strides in Tamil Nadu politics and also faced the worst defeats too in its political graph.

At present, the party has its units in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, New Delhi, and Andaman. 

The AIADMK has the distinction of ruling the State for the longest period than the other two parties - Congress and the DMK.  Will it retain power when the party celebrates its golden jubilee year and make history by retaining power for the third consecutive year is a question to be answered by the electorate of the State in 2021 Assembly elections.