INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
File photo of Tamil Nadu Deputy CM O Panneerselvam (right) and CM Edappadi K Palaniswami (left) (Image: PTI)With months left for the 2021
assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the rift between two factions of the ruling AIADMK have widened further
Things are said to be not too well after Friday's high-level committee meeting called by O Panneerselvam, which was held at the AIADMK
committee to take all party decisions
Though this was one of the major demands that OPS had put forward during the time of the merger, it is yet to be fulfilled.It is also being
said that OPS wanted the post of party general secretary, a post which was abolished during the merger of the EPS-OPS factions.On the other
hand, several ministers such as CV Shanmugam pointed out the dominance of two castes (Gounders and Thevars) in the cabinet and demanded
equal representation for others.Meanwhile, the E Palanisawmi camp has said that if a steering committee is formed, it would lead to several
other problems as each member will have a different opinion and the indecisiveness would hurt the party ahead of elections.With the
high-level committee meeting remaining inconclusive, EPS and OPS has called for an executive committee meeting on September 28 to address
these issues.After the committee meeting, several ministers held another meeting with EPS at his residence to discuss the new
developments.AIADMK ministers have meanwhile attempted to water down the differences that surfaced in the high-level party meeting on Friday
Minister RB Udayakumar said that both EPS and OPS are united like Ram and Lakshman
Minister Jayakumar has said that there are no differences between leaders in the party.
