Chennai: The political imbroglio in Tamil Nadu precipitated further on Tuesday with the AIADMK legislators electing PWD Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy as their new leader replacing V.K. Sasikala, an election dismissed as “illegal” by rebel O. Panneerselvam who insisted he will prove his majority only on the floor of the House.
Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao was keeping his cards close to his chest, as there was no word from the Raj Bhavan on what he intends to do. The possibility of a composite floor test to determine who among the two — Edappadi and OPS — command a majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly may be ordered soon.
After it became clear that she cannot contest any election for 10 years due to the Supreme Court verdict, Sasikala quickly swung into action by convening an “emergency meeting” of the AIADMK Legislature Party at the Golden Bay resort in Koovathur and got her “loyalist” Mr Palanisamy elected as the leader. News sources said that Mr Palanisamy was elected as the leader and within minutes he announced to the media about his election and that he would meet the Governor to stake his claim to form the next government.
While the OPS camp rejected Mr Palanisamy’s election, they also met Mr Rao and demanded that Mr Panneerselvam be allowed to prove his majority on the floor of the House. Meanwhile, Mr Palanisamy and his colleagues rushed to Raj Bhavan and submitted the letter of his election as the leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party.
OPS VS Palanisamy
A look at how Panneerselvam and Palanisamy fared in their political career
O. Panneerselvam
Positives:
Soft-spoken
humble
Three time Chief Minister
Administrative experience
Cordial relationship with bureaucrats
Negatives:
Not a mass leader
May not be acceptable to everyone
Rebellion against Sasikala since her family controls party
Edappadi K Palaniswamy
Positives:
Daunted fighter
Long-time associate of J. Jayalalithaa
Grassroots leader
Negatives:
Not a mass leader
Not a familiar face outside the party
Not acceptable to all factions of the party
