AIADMK factions take potshots at each other on death anniversary of former CM Jayalalithaa

The EPS camp emerged as the choice, common target of Dhinakaran, Sasikala and OPS. They were all expelled from the AIADMK at different times.

The leaders, one after the other, separately paid floral tributes to Jayalalithaa at her memorial on Marina beach in Chennai.

Led by its interim general secretary Palaniswami, the AIADMK functionaries took a vow to form a “mega, winning alliance” for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu and secure a “historic victory”.

In a veiled reference, they dubbed the OPS-led camp and others as betrayers. The AIADMK has time and again ruled out any scope for rapprochement with OPS, Sasikala, and Dhinakaran.

OPS to end autocratic ways of EPS

Panneerselvam and his followers, including former minister R Vaithilingam, pledged to end the “autocratic” ways of the EPS camp and work towards reintroducing a system of party workers themselves electing the party chief, an organisation poll mode introduced by party founder, the late MG Ramachandran.

Under the leadership of Sasikala, her supporters reiterated the unity slogan, seen as an apparent repeat message to EPS and his loyalists to rally behind her to trounce rival forces (DMK) and win the Lok Sabha polls.

OPS offering tribute to Jayalalitha on her death anniversary. (OfficeOfOPS/Twitter)

The AMMK, under the stewardship of its general secretary Dhinakaran, vowed to defeat “betrayers”, a reference to the Palaniswami camp. Without naming EPS and his followers, Dhinakaran’s party blamed them for selfishness.

Through the AMMK, which is a democratic weapon, the AIADMK, which has lost its unique feature and identity due to the ‘selfishness of a group’ would be retrieved, they said.

Slamming the ruling DMK regime for registering ‘false cases’ against its leaders, the principal opposition party said it would snap the web of conspiracy.

AIADMK takes a jab at Stalin

Mocking Chief Minister MK Stalin as a “toy chief minister”, the AIADMK targeted the DMK for not implementing its 2021 Assembly poll promises, including getting the NEET annulled for the State, ₹1,000 financial assistance to women family heads, and other assurances.

The Opposition party asked the state government to not stop welfare initiatives launched during its regime, like the Amma chain of low-cost eateries, and vowed to dislodge the anti-people DMK regime.

In substance, the stands of the four camps is well-known and the anniversary turned out to be an occasion for them to reiterate it.

Sasikala, Dhinakaran and Panneerselvam are all on the same side, though they are now separate, with Palaniswami camp determined to not budge and give any space to them.

The former chief minister and AIADMK supremo, J Jayalalithaa, fondly addressed as “Amma” (mother) passed away on 5 December, 2016.

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