The AIADMK is likely to take some more time for conducting, in an organised way, a post-mortem of the party’s defeat in the Assembly election in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The ongoing COVID-19 lockdown and the recent death of a brother of the party’s coordinator, O. Panneerselvam, are cited as reasons for the party not having any structured discussion on its performance in the poll.
The party leadership has to decide, sooner or later, nominees for a couple of posts in the legislature party — deputy leader and whip, say senior functionaries of the party.
Two years ago, in the wake of the debacle of the AIADMK-led front in the Lok Sabha poll, the then Ministers, district secretaries, legislators and parliamentarians met at the party headquarters for over one-and-a-half hours. Even though the meeting then was overshadowed by the debate on dual leadership and did not lead to any tangible follow-up, it will be in the interests of the party to do stock taking now, says a seasoned party functionary, who got elected from the southern region.
A senior leader in the western region feels that just as the DMK held a number of online meetings last year, his party too can follow suit in making use of various platforms being offered by technology for such internal interactions.
As the COVID-19 pandemic is acquiring serious proportions in terms of cases in the State, it is ideal to have online meetings instead of the conventional way of having discussion at the party headquarters, the leader pointed out.
In the last few weeks, many victorious and defeated candidates of the party had met both Mr. Panneerselvam and party co-coordinator Edappadi K.Palaniswami individually and shared their perspective. A few senior members say that the former has hinted that a committee may be formed to study the reasons. All the unsuccessful candidates have been asked to submit in writing as to what led to their defeat.
As for the reasons, there is a view among many long-standing functionaries of the party that the last minute policy decision of the AIADMK regime to provide internal reservation of 10.5% for Vanniyars within the quota of Most Backward Classes (MBCs) did not generate any positive impact for the party in northern districts, where the performance of the AIADMK and its allies including the PMK and the BJP was miserable. On the other hand, it had worked against the party.
“How would you explain the defeat of our Law Minister and a votary of the quota C.Ve. Shanmugam, in Villupuram? Also, other two prominent Ministers from the Vanniyar community — M.C. Sampath in Cuddalore and K.C. Veeramani in Jolarpet — have lost. At the same time, the PMK too could win only in five out of 23 constituencies,” points out a veteran leader, raising questions about the efficacy of the AIADMK-Pattali Makkal Katchi tie-up.
The absence of support of the Scheduled Castes coupled with that of religious minorities and the departure of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and Puthiya Tamilagam from the alliance had affected the prospects of the party.
There is a view among sections of the party that the present set of office-bearers has to be revamped with the infusion of new and young blood. Both Mr. Palaniswami and Mr. Panneerselvam are said to be receptive to the idea.
