On the eve of Wednesday’s scheduled announcement of the AIADMK’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2021 Assembly election, there were indications that the incumbent CM and the ruling party’s co-coordinator, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, would be renominated for the top job.
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Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam may agree to withdraw from the race as Mr. Palaniswami has hinted that he is open to the former’s demand for the constitution of an 11-member steering committee for the party.
Party panels
At the same time, other committees could also be constituted for handling various activities, such as election propaganda, seat-sharing negotiations with prospective allies and the preparation of the election manifesto.
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The Chief Minister and his deputy, who on Tuesday separately held multiple discussions with senior leaders, including Ministers, are likely to announce the decisions at a joint press conference at the party headquarters in Chennai on Wednesday.
Among the issues that had engaged the leaders in prolonged discussions were the composition of the proposed steering committee, the need for other committees for purposes like seat-sharing negotiations with prospective electoral partners and election propaganda work, and the possibility of changes in the functions and powers of key functionaries.
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Sources indicated that as per an agreement worked out between the two camps, the steering committee could have six members from the Chief Minister's side and five from Mr. Panneerselvam's side, on the lines of what was agreed at the time of the merger of the two groups in 2017.
Earlier, Mr. Panneerselvam was visited by several Ministers, including S.P. Velumani, P. Thangamani (both considered close associates of the Chief Minister), D. Jayakumar, C.Ve. Shanmugam and R.B. Udhayakumar. Another round of discussions took place both between and within the camps. Any understanding that may be reached between the two leaders would end the months-long, intra-party debate on the AIADMK’s CM nominee.
At a meeting of the party’s executive committee held on September 28, several senior members demanded that the issue be resolved immediately. They hinted their preference for Mr. Palaniswami. But a few others like former Villivakkam legislator J.C.D. Prabhakar did not approve of the way in which the matter was discussed. Senior party leader Panruti S. Ramachandran explained the rationale behind Mr. Panneerselvam’s position on the steering committee.
The executive committee meeting was preceded by a discussion among senior functionaries on September 18, during which Electricity Minister P. Thangamani revived the issue of projecting a CM candidate.
