With the AIADMK now firmly in his control, former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has several challenges to deal with as he steers Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party as its interim general secretary.
Energizing and rejuvenating party cadres who have been upset with the internal squabbling, strengthening the AIADMK machinery for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and dealing with ally BJP are some of the major tests that Palaniswami faces as the “singular” leader of the party.
He will also have to keep caste equations in mind and ensure that Mukulathors, the caste to which O Panneerselvam, V K Sasikala, and T T V Dhinakaran, don’t wean away from the AIADMK as they are the deciding factors in several constituencies in southern and central Tamil Nadu.
Though he has already reached out to the community by appointing people to key positions, political observers say Palaniswami has to continue with his outreach to Mukulathors and other communities to keep the AIADMK’s traditional vote bank intact.
His first task will be to convene the General Council meeting to get elected as the General Secretary following which he is likely to form a new team. Party functionaries believe Palaniswami helming the AIADMK will give a clear signal to the cadres that the party will be slowly getting back to its past glory.
However, he will come under scrutiny vis-à-vis the way he deals with the BJP. Palaniswami had already demonstrated to the BJP that he can stand the ground and make it accept decisions taken by him – he stood firm in his decision not to take Dhinakaran and Sasikala into the party or alliance in the 2021 elections despite the top brass of the BJP pushing for it.
He also got the BJP to ensure OPS withdraws his candidature from Erode (east) by-elections by asserting his authority. Though Palaniswami has already told BJP that AIADMK is the leader of the alliance in Tamil Nadu, he comes under scrutiny because he has so far not come forward to criticize the saffron party even on issues concerning Tamil Nadu.
With the Lok Sabha polls a year away, the BJP may just accept EPS’ ascension and work with him. EPS doesn’t have much of a choice when it comes to an alliance with BJP though the general opinion in AIADMK is that the saffron party, for now, is more of baggage than a value addition to AIADMK.
Prof Ramu Manivannan, former Head of the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras, told DH the SC verdict consolidates EPS’ position with the AIADMK which is a result of the sustained efforts of his team.
“I believe he will stand up to the BJP. I think he will not let go of the opportunity to consolidate the AIADMK and emerge as a stronger Opposition party. He will either challenge the BJP or absolve the BJP as an ally. BJP should also come to terms with EPS,” he added.