Chennai: The temper was mutinous as 1000’s of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) cadres swelled at Chennai’s Little Mount to stage a large demonstration towards Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) authorities Monday. However the ambiance all of a sudden shifted to jubilation when AIADMK chief Edappadi Okay Palaniswami’s automobile approached the venue.
Because the chief’s silver Innova got here to a halt, the gang spontaneously erupted into fervent chants of Salethu Singham! Kazhaga podhuchailalr, varungala mudhalamaichar! Annan Edappadiyar! —Lion of Salem! Basic secretary of the social gathering, future chief minister! Brother Edappadi!
Amid the chants, Edappadi Palaniswami, or EPS as he’s popularly identified, emerged from his automobile, smiling on the social gathering cadres, alternating between namastes and flashing the victory signal— a gesture that additionally signifies the social gathering image of two leaves on a stem.
Earlier seen as a liaison between late AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa and social gathering cadres, 69-year-old EPS has been cementing his place within the organisation ever because the Supreme Court docket gave the go-ahead for him to proceed as basic secretary this February, dismissing the problem of ousted social gathering rival O. Panneerselvam (OPS).
And as EPS strengthens his grip on the social gathering, the AIADMK itself is present process a change in its character.
From being led by larger-than-life film stars-turned politicians — Puratchi Thalaivar (revolutionary chief) MG Ramachandran, or MGR, and the revered Amma (mom) J Jayalalithaa— it’s now embracing the stewardship of Annan (brother) EPS, a chief who positions himself as an equal, though he’s held in excessive reverence.
For the reason that demise of Jayalalithaa in 2016 and his elevation to the submit of Chief Minister the next 12 months, EPS has been considered by cadres as a person who held a big part of the social gathering collectively by way of a interval of factional turmoil.
On the Monday rally, when requested why EPS captured their creativeness, social gathering employees described him as being near cadres, somebody who remembers their names and attends their private celebrations.
Additionally they praised his formidable goal to construct the social gathering by ramping up its membership numbers and his efforts to attach prime leaders to the grassroots.
Unsaid by the employees, but in addition price mentioning is the AIADMK’s amended bylaws. By means of these, EPS has ensured that solely devoted old-timers can climb to the highest or have a say in who does. These bylaws, amended in July 2022, have been “taken on report” by the Election Fee final month.
On the protest in Little Mount the cadres are cheerful, and say they now have “readability” in regards to the affairs of the social gathering.
“There have been a number of hurdles that got here within the AIADMK’s means and likewise for EPS personally. However he overcame all of it and has proved to be a powerful chief like MGR and Amma,” former minister and AIADMK girls’s wing secretary B. Valarmathi advised ThePrint.
Nonetheless, political analysts level out that EPS nonetheless faces imminent threats.
Because the opposition social gathering in Tamil Nadu since 2021, the AIADMK has been seen as overly reliant on its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), with which it has lengthy been at odds.
Moreover, regardless of EPS’s fame as a “Salem strongman” with backing from the Gounder neighborhood in western Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK’s sway among the many influential Thevar neighborhood could also be in danger as a result of newly minted alliance between ousted Thevar AIADMK leaders OPS and TTV Dhinakaran.
Talking to ThePrint, creator and political analyst Nilakantan RS additionally highlighted that EPS is but to command the sort of following that MGR or Jayalalithaa did.
“EPS managed the social gathering for 4 years, for which credit score must be given to him. He was a very good supervisor of circumstances. However that’s one factor and being a mass chief is one other,” he stated.
Political analyst GC Shekhar expressed related reservations.
“EPS remains to be not all highly effective,” Shekhar stated. “He’s depending on the help of others within the social gathering to carry his place.”
As EPS entrenches himself as a key determine in Tamil Nadu’s political enviornment, ThePrint traces his ascent in addition to the obstacles he continues to face.
Additionally learn: Supreme Court docket order on AIADMK rift: What are OPS’s choices now & what ruling means for EPS & BJP
‘Naalavar ani’ to CM and ‘sole chief’
In 1974, Edappadi Okay Palaniswami, a 20-year-old from a household of farmers, joined AIADMK as a volunteer.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t till after the demise of social gathering founder MGR in 1987 that EPS caught the eye of Jayalalithaa. For the 1989 state elections, she nominated him because the Edappadi constituency candidate for the breakaway faction of the social gathering she headed on the time. He gained, the social gathering didn’t.
It took till 1991 for Jayalalithaa to assert the CM’s chair, however it wasn’t till her fourth stint as chief minister 20 years later that she formally gave EPS — who had been steadily rising within the ranks of the social gathering— a spot at her desk.
Revered like a deity in a temple, Jayalalithaa was somebody the cadres might admire and worship, however from a distance.
When she regained energy in 2011, she personally handpicked a bunch of 4 cupboard ministers, often called the “Naalavar ani” (staff of 4), to behave as a bridge between her and the social gathering’s cadres.
These elite cupboard members have been EPS, Natham Viswanathan, R Vaithilingam, and OPS.
Amongst these 4, it initially appeared as if OPS was Jayalalithaa’s pure successor.
He had briefly served as CM in 2001-2002 when she was disqualified attributable to corruption expenses, after which once more in 2014 when she was convicted in a disproportionate belongings case. After her loss of life in December 2016, it was once more OPS who took the mantle of CM for the third time.
Nonetheless, analyst Shekhar identified that despite the fact that OPS had taken centrestage each time Jayalalithaa was indisposed, EPS — a one-time Rajya Sabha MP and four-time MLA then — was by no means removed from the scene both.
“When Jayalalithaa was unwell and when OPS was given the portfolios dealt with by her, EPS too had gone together with OPS to fulfill the governor to make the modifications within the cupboard. He was within the equation all alongside,” he identified.
In February 2017, simply over two months after he took oath as chief minister, OPS resigned as a fruits of his rollercoaster “dharmayudham” towards one-time Jayalalithaa aide and CM aspirant Sasikala after she was convicted in a disproportionate belongings case.
Though EPS and OPS had led totally different teams inside the social gathering on the time, they established a entrance towards the then AIADMK basic secretary Sasikala and her faction, which included her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, or simply TTV. Each Sasikala and TTV have been ousted from the social gathering.
EPS and OPS then arrange a ‘twin management’ system for the AIADMK. On this association, EPS turned CM and joint-coordinator of the social gathering, and OPS the deputy CM and coordinator. Jayalalithaa was termed the “everlasting basic secretary”.
Quite a bit has modified since then. EPS is not CM, however he has taken cost of the social gathering.
After the AIADMK misplaced the 2021 state election, he pushed for singular management within the social gathering to strengthen its functioning.
There was pushback from OPS, however it was now EPS who known as the photographs and loved the help of most social gathering office-bearers and cadres.
In a June 2022 basic council assembly, OPS was reportedly “booed” out. EPS was anointed because the social gathering’s rightful chief the subsequent month. Quickly thereafter, OPS and his aides have been expelled from the AIADMK.
“The towering picture of Jayalalithaa for thus lengthy had conditioned individuals to not take EPS critically,” stated Nilakantan — however that was clearly not the case.
A mirror in historical past?
The saga of EPS’s ascent bears just a few putting parallels to that of Jayalalithaa’s.
Following MGR’s loss of life, his spouse VN Janaki Ramachandran, and her supporters claimed possession of the AIADMK, whereas Jayalalithaa, main a breakaway faction, asserted that the true followers of the social gathering ought to be along with her.
Equally, when Jayalalithaa died, totally different claimants to her political legacy emerged, together with OPS and EPS.
A lot as how MGR’s spouse Janaki asserted her possession of the social gathering and even served as CM for 23 days, OPS additionally staked his declare, however had a truncated tenure.
And far as how Jayalalithaa accused Janaki of being tender in the direction of Karunanidhi, EPS criticised OPS for his alleged proximity to the DMK and even labelled him as its “B-Workforce”.
One other parallel that might be drawn is within the ballot efficiency of the AIADMK in these two eras of churn.
Within the 1989 state elections, the fractured AIADMK received a drubbing, however Jayalalithaa’s faction outperformed Janaki’s, with the previous successful 27 seats over the latter’s two. This gave Jayalalithaa larger political credibility and shortly thereafter each factions have been merged below her management.
Within the Lok Sabha elections that very same 12 months, AIADMK , in an alliance with the Indian Nationwide Congress, achieved a powerful victory, successful 38 out of 39 seats, returning the social gathering to its former glory.
Lower to the 2021 state meeting polls, the primary after Jayalalithaa’s loss of life.
These elections have been a blow to the AIADMK, which secured solely 66 out of the 179 seats it contested out of the state’s complete of 234 meeting constituencies. However the end result additionally steadily shifted the dynamics inside the social gathering.
Whereas AIADMK gained 32 out of 54 seats within the Gounder-dominated western belt of Tamil Nadu, the place EPS wields appreciable affect, they solely managed to safe 16 out of 60 seats within the Thevar-dominated southern belt, thought of a stronghold of OPS.
Furthermore, between 2018 and 2022, a number of members of the OPS faction switched their allegiance to EPS, additional reshaping the political panorama inside the social gathering.
Amma vs Annan
At this time, EPS is forging his personal identification as a frontrunner. At Little Mount this Monday, he was swarmed by his social gathering males from all sides. The stage he was to step on to was jam-packed with many senior social gathering leaders, all of them pushing ahead to greet their basic secretary. He steadily reciprocated their greetings whereas additionally asking them to make means.
EPS, it appears, is positioning himself as a typical man, an annan, who has labored his means up the social gathering ranks.
“His message is that he’s one amongst them,” stated a senior former AIADMK MP, asking to not be named.
Establishing connections is one in all EPS’s strengths, in response to most AIADMK leaders ThePrint spoke to.
“He’s all the time there for the cadres. If a celebration employee invitations him to a marriage, child naming ceremony, or any such operate, he’ll strive being there if he doesn’t have a previous dedication,” Valarmathi stated.
AIADMK organisational secretary Aadhi Rajaram additionally described EPS as “approachable”.
“He’s a person who loves speaking about agriculture, he’s a farmer at coronary heart,” Rajaram added.
He shared a private incident the place EPS, who had met Rajaram’s household as soon as, remembered them even after a number of months— a trait that isn’t widespread amongst many senior leaders, Rajaram stated.
All of that is fairly a far cry from Jayalalithaa’s persona as a frontrunner.
She was by no means intently surrounded by individuals attributable to her Z-plus safety and larger-than-life picture. Senior leaders and cadres have been extra prone to prostrate themselves earlier than Jayalalithaa than push their means towards her.
Analysts, nonetheless, say EPS might take a leaf or two from Jayalalithaa’s e-book, emphasising that her charisma and recognition weren’t solely attributable to her movie star standing but in addition her arduous work.
“She had the flexibility to seize the eye of the plenty, and it requires vital abilities, thoughtfulness, and understanding of politics, governance, media, and what turns into viral in right this moment’s time,” Nilakantan stated.
“EPS should be taught and ship on these elements; in any other case, he might danger being deserted by his personal supporters.”
EPS’s AIADMK
When MGR began the AIADMK, it attracted a report enrolment of 16 lakh cadres. By the point Amma departed, its energy was 1.5 crore. EPS now needs to take it to the subsequent degree.
“EPS has began a drive to make the cadre energy 2 crore. He’s driving the social gathering in the direction of glory, following the legacy of MGR and Jayalalithaa,” stated AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan.
He added that EPS has three key areas of focus: “Be sure that grassroots employees are capable of climb the ladder, encourage extra children to affix the social gathering and develop them into the subsequent line of leaders, and, most significantly, he has a transparent roadmap in thoughts, based mostly on which clear choices are taken with out mincing phrases.”
Additionally excessive on the agenda is electoral preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2026 state polls. Get together leaders stated that EPS has held a number of conferences on this entrance.
“He has urged us to strengthen sales space committees and usually conduct public conferences to remain linked with the individuals throughout the state,” stated former minister Valarmathi.
The Supreme Court docket verdict of February this 12 months got here as an enormous enhance for EPS, guaranteeing he’s firmly within the saddle as the overall secretary of the social gathering.
The social gathering’s amended bylaws additionally be sure that EPS stays on the helm of affairs for the foreseeable future.
The principles stipulate that anybody contesting for the submit of basic secretary have to be a celebration member for a steady interval of 10 years, and have served as an workplace bearer on the social gathering headquarters for 5 years. Additional, their candidacy have to be proposed by a minimum of 10 district secretaries, with one other set of a minimum of 10 district secretaries seconding it. Solely EPS presently enjoys that degree of help.
Clouds which will kind
EPS is presently flying excessive, however analysts spotlight quite a few points that would make it a bumpy trip.
A.S. Panneerselvan, a fellow at Chennai’s Roja Muthiah Analysis Library identified that the courtroom battle might not be over but for EPS.
“All of the instances associated to the social gathering filed by Sasikala and OPS are nonetheless pending, with not a single case absolutely resolved,” he stated.
Additional, over the previous two years, EPS’s preoccupation with the AIADMK’s inner energy wrestle gave ally BJP and its state president Okay Annamalai a chance to amplify their presence within the opposition, in response to analyst GC Shekhar.
“EPS was absent with out depart, and Annamalai took the lead,” Shekhar stated. “However EPS is now asserting himself because the opposition chief. His current media interplay on the spurious liquor problem showcased his aggressive facet.”
Earlier this month, practically two dozen individuals in Tamil Nadu misplaced their lives, allegedly attributable to consuming tainted hooch, resulting in a political firestorm. Within the wake of this, EPS had stated at a press convention that the deaths might have been prevented if the state authorities had taken motion on stopping the sale of spurious liquor. The AIADMK additionally focused the DMK over this problem in its Chennai protest rally this Monday.
The most important problem presently confronting EPS, nonetheless, is the alliance between OPS and TTV to tackle the “betrayers”. There’s additionally hypothesis that they could meet Sasikala for a tie-up. All three belong to the Thevar neighborhood.
An alliance, subsequently, would lead to a consolidated and influential Thevar group posing a risk to the AIADMK’s vote financial institution.
The previous AIDMK MP, quoted earlier, expressed this concern.
“They’re taking part in caste-based politics. Thirty AIADMK seats that have been purported to be ours have been misplaced as a result of TTV’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) performed spoiler. However becoming a member of forces with them would decrease the social gathering’s morale,” he stated. “Now we have one 12 months to encourage individuals from the Thevar neighborhood to proceed to be a part of us.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
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