Ministers rush to fix leadership crisis in TN
CHENNAI: Senior ministers in the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday swung into action ater a leadership tussle in the ruling Anna DMK intensified.
Two teams of ministers held separate meetings with the two leaders to work out a compromise.
Supporters of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Pannerselvam have been airing contradictory opinions on who will lead the party into the State Assembly election due in May next year.
Saturday’s meetings came as posters appeared in and around Panneerselvam’s hometown Theni, projecting him as the next chief minister. The posters also had hashtags #2021CMFOROPS in them.
Pannerselvam’s supporters want his to be chief minister, a post to which Jayalalithaa had nominated him thrice when she had to stand aside due to legal issues. The supporters say he has served as deputy without hurting the government for four years now and deserve to be chief minister if the party is re-elected.
At Saturday’s meetings, ministers Sellar Raju and Rajendra Bhalaji were kept out. Raju had aired the opinion that the party is led by both the leaders, while Bhalaji asserted that Palaniswami is the leader. Minister for Fisheries D Jayakumar told the media that whatever Rajenthra Balaji said was his personal opinion and not the party’s stance.
“There is confusion in the party,” one of the ministers said. “We need to sort it out.” One team of ministers sat with Palaniswami for four hours. Sources said he was not willing to concede leadership of the government.
Earlier at least 10 senior ministers including
SP Velumani, P Thangamani, D Jayakumar, KA Sengotaiyan and CV Shanmugam talked to Panneerselvam at his residence for an hour. It is understood that he insisted on the chief minister’s job.
Meanwhile, music lovers were praying for the recovery of celebrated singer SP Balasubramaniam (SPB) who was reported critical ater he was admited to a hospital with a virus infection.
Music maestros Ilayaraja and AR Rahman led appeals for prayers.
Ilayaraja said in an emotional video: “Balu, get up and come back soon. I am waiting for you.
“Our lives don’t end with just cinema. It didn’t start with cinema either. The music, which we started off with at some programme on some stage, has become our life and our livelihood.” AR Rahman tweeted: I request all the music fans to pray for this legend along with me #Spbalasubrahmanyam..he has given us so much joy with his amazing voice!”