AIADMK functionaries may force Panneerselvam to quit CM's post

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is being slowly but surely pushed out of office by supporters of Sasikala. Four ministers had already declared their support to Sasikala asking her to take over the post. The latest salvo has been fired by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker and AIADMK Propaganda Secretary M Thambidurai, who in a statement on Monday has urged Sasikala to take charge as CM at the earliest.

However, the most significant attempt to sideline Panneerselvam has come from Sasikala herself!

On December 30, just a day after the AIADMK general council nominated Sasikala as the party general secretary, Sasikala visited the memorials and paid floral tribute to C N Annadurai, DMK founder, MG Ramachandran, the AIADMK founder and J Jayalalithaa. A statement issued by the AIADMK headquarters "with the approval of Chinnamma."

Sasikala made no mention of the Chief Minister or O Panneerselvam by name, though it said she was received by "senior party functionaries and ministers" among others. In other words, Panneerselvam was reduced by Sasikala to just a minister, that too without mentioning him by name or his post.

Even more glaring was her speech at the AIADMK headquarters soon after she formally took charge as CM. Here again, there was no reference to O Panneerselvam by name or post.

She merely made a mention of "ministers" who were present there. Panneerselvam, who was very much present on both occasions and who received her, was ignored in her speech and the statement.