Amidst divergent views expressed by second-rung AIADMK leaders over the Chief Ministerial candidate for 2021 Assembly election, party coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Thursday appealed to party cadre to realise their responsibilities and “remain united” to win the poll for the third consecutive time.
In a tweet, the Deputy Chief Minister said the AIADMK’s sole aim was to secure a massive win in the next Assembly poll, which was also the dream of late leader Jayalalithaa. Reminding the cadre of the dictum ‘Duty, Dignity and Discipline’, he said if those who followed Jayalalithaa’s footsteps stood together, they could win [in] the future.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has so far remained tight-lipped on the debate that was triggered by some Ministers and senior leaders.
AIADMK deputy secretary K.P. Munusamy maintained that the party leadership would announce the Chief Ministerial candidate at the appropriate time, after consulting all senior leaders.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Munusamy, along with his Rajya Sabha colleague R. Vaithilingam, Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam and former MP Manoj Pandian held a meeting in the party headquarters.
Party sources said the leaders held discussions to finalise the AIADMK’s opinion sought by the Election Commission on campaigning for elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discussed about the intra-party elections.
