Can O Pannerselvam steer AIADMK ship?

Chennai: With his mentor J. Jayalalithaa no more to “advice, counsel and instruct”, O. Pannerselvam faces an ardent task as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu of maintaining his position in the Cabinet and presenting himself as the Captain of the ship by ensuring that no divergent opinion comes out in public domain.

And with the question that who will take over the reins of the AIADMK still unanswered, challenges for OPS, as he is popularly known among friends and partymen, is plenty.

And the “dual leadership” – one heading the government and another the party – is quite new to Tamil Nadu politics, which has always been highly personality-oriented and sycophantic.

Unlike his previous tenures, which was mostly a stopgap arrangement, OPS has to assert his authority from day one, display his leadership qualities and make every member of his government – be it ministers or bureaucrats – fall in line to have a “smooth sailing”, political commentators said.

And another challenge that OPS might have to deal is to handle bureaucrats and former officers who are advisors to the government, they said. “Mr O Pannerselvam facing valiant task of heading a government that will no guidance from Jayalalithaa. He is no more the acting, interim or a stopgap Chief Minister, but a democratically elected CM to run the administration of the state. He has to speak out his views,” political commentator Bernard D’ Sami told DC.

He says Mr Pannerselvam has to “come out of the shell” and ensure that everyone tows his line and demonstrate his leadership qualities. “If an impression that the AIADMK or the government is a divided house goes out, it would end up in the collapse of the government. And the strength of the AIADMK in the Assembly is not as big as the last time,” he said.

Political analyst S. Ravindran Duraisamy says the “dual leadership” would not augur well for the party and the government. “The state has been used to leadership. If dual leadership is implemented, then the longevity will become a question mark,” he said.

He also agrees that OPS has to make his mark by coming out of the shadows and show his “real leadership” if the transition has to be smooth.