EPS to meet PM ahead of Sasi release

EPS to meet PM ahead of Sasi release

Modi To Inaugurate Multi-Crore Projects

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 17.01.2021

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on January 19 to invite him to roll out multi-crore projects including Cauvery-Gundar interlink and inaugurate Chennai Metro Rail’s new line connecting Washermenpet and Wimco Nagar in north Chennai. Palaniswami is also expected to discuss with the PM the political situation in Tamil Nadu, ahead of Sasikala’s release from prison on January 27. Palaniswami will be accompanied by top bureaucrats.

“The PM might visit Chennai to launch the programmes or he might do it through video-conference as the budget session of Parliament will begin this monthend. The two leaders may have a one-on-one meeting to discuss the electoral alliance and the strategies to be adopted in the polls,” said a source. Palaniswami is making his first visit to Delhi after the AIADMK’s general council endorsed his candidature for the CM’s post. After dillydallying on the CM candidature, the BJP has finally endorsed Palaniswami’s candidature after the AIADMK general council meeting. This is in stark contrast to the national party’s earlier stand that its national leadership would decide on the CM candidature. Actor Rajinikanth’s decision not to enter electoral politics has apparently prompted the BJP to stay with the AIADMK in the polls.

Meanwhile, RSS ideologue Gurumurthy’s suggestion to the AIADMK to take V K Sasikala back into its fold to consolidate the Thevar votes and put up a tough fight with the DMK has not gone down well with many AIADMK leaders, who want to keep the Mannargudi clan at bay. What is not clear as of now is whether it is just Gurumurthy’s idea or whether the BJP national leadership also thinks along the same lines. BJP state general secretary R Srinivasan said his party’s prime target is that the DMK should not come to power. “Whenever there has been a split in the AIADMK, it has benefited the DMK. But it is for the AIADMK to decide whether to re-induct Sasikala or not. It is their internal matter. We have no say in that,” said Srinivasan.

The AIADMK leaders believe softening of stand on Sasikala would give fodder to the opposition. The party has fully endorsed the leadership of O Panneerselvam as coordinator and Palaniswami as joint coordinator. “If Sasikala’s re-entry is expected to bring in 3% votes, the party will lose 15% because of her corrupt background. There is no chance of merger nor inclusion,” a senior AIADMK leader told TOI. Partymen are apprehensive about the outcome of justice A Arumughaswamy commission of inquiry, set up to probe the cause of Jayalalithaa’s death, in the event of a merger of the AIADMK and the AMMK. Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are scheduled to open the Jayalalithaa memorial on January 27.