AGENCIES / CHENNAI

Ruling AIADMK has announced that the incumbent Edappadi Palaniswami will be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2021 Assembly Elections. The major announcement was made by the Party Coordinator O. Panneerselvam here today.

An eleven-member Steering Committee to look after the party affairs has also been unveiled.

Within the AIADMK, a perceived leadership tussle between Mr Edappadi Palaniswami and Mr Panneerselvam continued to make headlines in the state for quite some time. The loyalists of both the camps were making statements projecting their leaders.

Hectic parleys were being made between the two camps before and after the September-18 Executive Council meeting of the party to resolve the issues over the Chief Ministerial candidacy and the party leadership. It has led to the truce by way of Mr O. Panneerselvam himself announcing the present incumbent Mr Edappadi Palaniswami to be the CM candidate for the forthcoming elections.

Mr Panneerselvam’s demand for the formation of the eleven-member Steering Committee has also been accepted as a compromise formula between the two factions. Elections are due in the state in the first half of next year.