All’s not well between EPS and OPS
Deputy CM Asserts Himself In Party By Raising Steering Committee Issue
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com
Chennai:30.07.2018
Despite the public posturing of all’s well and claims of bonhomie between chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, the tug-ofwar continues between the party and the government.
It started on July 16, when I-T searches were carried out in the state on the premises of a highway contractor. The same evening, at an internal meeting held at the party headquarters in Chennai, OPS asserted himself for the first time in the open, by raising the issue of the steering committee.
“At the meeting, convened to discuss the party membership drive and strategise for the Lok Sabha polls next year, when several leaders pointed out the large number of vacant party posts lying unfilled for a long time, OPS stood up and raised the issue of the steering committee not being set up,” said an AIADMK leader, who attended the meeting.
“Why talk about other party posts when even the steering committee, which was planned, is yet to be formed and a resolution too was passed at the party’s general council to pave way for collective leadership,” OPS had asked. His speech was received with loud applause, with several leaders in the party even standing up to acknowledge it, the leader said.
While this did not go well with the EPS camp, they were in for a shock a little later, when hardly a few applauded EPS’s speech in the end. Around this time, OPS had also started returning party joint statements unsigned to push his demand for a steering committee further. “The EPS camp had planned to increase the number of party districts and decided to split 2-3 existing ones initially and appoint new district secretaries of their choice. This was turned down by OPS, who refused to sign,” a party insider said.
Simultaneously, OPS stealthily planned his visit to New Delhi on July 23, ostensibly to meet Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman the next day. While several party MPs lined up at the airport to receive him, a few others, who could not, met him at Tamil Nadu House. This rattled EPS further.
“As if waiting for an opportunity, EPS told reporters in Chennai that OPS had gone to thank the defence minister for her help in providing an Army chopper to airlift his ailing brother to Chennai. A surprised OPS had to acknowledge the same to reporters in New Delhi, which eventually resulted in his carefully laid plans going awry,” pointed out another leader.
While an embarrassed OPS had to quickly beat a retreat to Chennai and said, “One needs a strong heart to bear everything,” the EPS camp rejoiced. A day later, the state government informed the Madras high court that it has already started preliminary investigations into the assets owned by OPS and his family.
“The investigations may not proceed much, but the mere information to the court was enough to checkmate OPS. There could be a pause now for a few days, before someone makes the next move.,” the leader said.
STRAINED TIES: EPS told reporters in Chennai that OPS had gone to thank the defence minister for her help in providing an Army chopper to airlift his ailing brother to Chennai. A surprised OPS had to acknowledge the same to reporters in New Delhi
Deputy CM Asserts Himself In Party By Raising Steering Committee Issue
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com
Chennai:30.07.2018
Despite the public posturing of all’s well and claims of bonhomie between chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, the tug-ofwar continues between the party and the government.
It started on July 16, when I-T searches were carried out in the state on the premises of a highway contractor. The same evening, at an internal meeting held at the party headquarters in Chennai, OPS asserted himself for the first time in the open, by raising the issue of the steering committee.
“At the meeting, convened to discuss the party membership drive and strategise for the Lok Sabha polls next year, when several leaders pointed out the large number of vacant party posts lying unfilled for a long time, OPS stood up and raised the issue of the steering committee not being set up,” said an AIADMK leader, who attended the meeting.
“Why talk about other party posts when even the steering committee, which was planned, is yet to be formed and a resolution too was passed at the party’s general council to pave way for collective leadership,” OPS had asked. His speech was received with loud applause, with several leaders in the party even standing up to acknowledge it, the leader said.
While this did not go well with the EPS camp, they were in for a shock a little later, when hardly a few applauded EPS’s speech in the end. Around this time, OPS had also started returning party joint statements unsigned to push his demand for a steering committee further. “The EPS camp had planned to increase the number of party districts and decided to split 2-3 existing ones initially and appoint new district secretaries of their choice. This was turned down by OPS, who refused to sign,” a party insider said.
Simultaneously, OPS stealthily planned his visit to New Delhi on July 23, ostensibly to meet Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman the next day. While several party MPs lined up at the airport to receive him, a few others, who could not, met him at Tamil Nadu House. This rattled EPS further.
“As if waiting for an opportunity, EPS told reporters in Chennai that OPS had gone to thank the defence minister for her help in providing an Army chopper to airlift his ailing brother to Chennai. A surprised OPS had to acknowledge the same to reporters in New Delhi, which eventually resulted in his carefully laid plans going awry,” pointed out another leader.
While an embarrassed OPS had to quickly beat a retreat to Chennai and said, “One needs a strong heart to bear everything,” the EPS camp rejoiced. A day later, the state government informed the Madras high court that it has already started preliminary investigations into the assets owned by OPS and his family.
“The investigations may not proceed much, but the mere information to the court was enough to checkmate OPS. There could be a pause now for a few days, before someone makes the next move.,” the leader said.
STRAINED TIES: EPS told reporters in Chennai that OPS had gone to thank the defence minister for her help in providing an Army chopper to airlift his ailing brother to Chennai. A surprised OPS had to acknowledge the same to reporters in New Delhi
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