EPS-OPS face toughest political challenge
CHENNAI: Post-Jayalalithaa, the ruling AIADMK now faces its toughest challenge, which is even more critical than what it had gone through during the EPS-OPS split. It comes in the form of the young challenger to the legacy of MGR-Jaya, TTV Dhinakaran who has tasted blood in RK Nagar.
It will take a huge effort on the part of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to hold his flock together and realise his dream of completing the remaining tenure before the next big test is to come around in 2021 when the term of the Tamil Nadu Assembly expires.
Dhinakaran, the beaming victor of the December 21 bypoll he contested as an independent candidate, has sworn that the government would collapse in three months. And the opposition DMK's Working President MK Stalin must be hoping soon to ride into Fort St George on the ruins of the AIADMK. The party losing so badly despite the magical Two Leaves symbol added to the woes of the duo, who have been claiming to be "true inheritors" of Jayalalithaa's legacy.
Palaniswami, who commands the support of 113 MLAs and almost all MPs belonging to the party, will find it extremely difficult to identify Dhinakaran's "sleeper cells" within his camp. The rebel leader, even on Sunday, harped on his "sleeper cells" claiming that all his underground supporters within the AIADMK legislature party would come public only when EPS-OPS have to prove their majority on the floor of the Assembly.
Both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam would come under intense scrutiny of party members for the AIADMK's humiliating defeat at the hands of Dhinakaran, who was removed from the post of deputy general secretary in the General Council on September 12. Within hours of Dhinakaran's win, there was intense speculation that several MLAs, mostly from the influential Thevar community to which TTV belongs, would jump ship from the EPS side.
And the migration seemed to have begun already with Vellore MP Senguttuvan meeting Dhinakaran at his residence. The rebel leader himself gave ample indications that those who left him would come sooner than later since they have now realised that "people are with me".
Sources said EPS-OPS camp believes that around 20 MLAs, excluding the 18 who openly supported TTV and were later disqualified, have always been on the border. "The-se MLAs had met TTV after he was released from Tihar jail but did not sail with him when he openly rebelled against EPS-OPS. We think these are the people who would be the first to jump the ship", a senior leader said.
Political observer Gnani Sankaran told DC that the results would force EPS-OPS and Dhinakaran factions to merge since neither of the camps would be able to cobble up a majority on their own. "The biggest challenge would be to keep the flock together. EPS-OPS may not be able to keep their flock together and at the same time I am not sure that all will go to TTV. The ideal choice before them is to unite", Gnani said.
Prof Ramu Manivannan said the camp would now deal with depleting number as well as pressure from the BJP Gover-nment. "The EPS-OPS duo will be sandwiched between the fleeing members and the BJP. They will be severely tested for their ability to keep their flock together. The government falling would only lead to imposition of President's rule in the state", Manivannan, Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Madras, said.
