Tamil Nadu: With backing of 61 MLAs, Edappadi K Palaniswami set to be opposition leader

CHENNAI: Their squabbling notwithstanding, AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami is set to be named leader of the opposition in the assembly with party coordinator O Panneerselvam’s approval, multiple sources confirmed.
“The issue will be amicably resolved at the party meeting on Monday,” senior AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan told TOI.
Friday’s meeting of newly elected AIADMK MLAs was unable to arrive at a consensus, so they decided to meet again at the party headquarters on Monday. But with the support of at least 61 of the 65 party MLAs, EPS is set to sail through, sources said. Senior BJP leaders too may have advised OPS “to give in”, said a source.
The MLAs are to meet at 9.30am at the AIADMK headquarters. A senior AIADMK leader said police permission had been obtained in view of the two-week lockdown coming into force at 4am on Monday.
At the Friday meeting, when the two leaders confronted each other, OPS is said to have blamed EPS for the AIADMK’s defeat citing his decision to roll out the 10.5% quota for the vanniyar community “resulting in a caste backlash”.
Reactions of party functionaries indicated overwhelming support for EPS being made the leader of the opposition.
In the southern region, where the party won a mere 16 of the 60seats, AIADMK functionaries blamed the party’s debacle on internal rivalries.