Chennai: Bringing down the façade that the family of AIADMK (Amma) general secretary V.K. Sasikala has no conflict with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, party organ Namadhu MGR controlled by the family has started blacking out reports of the Chief Minister and other ministers.
Deputy general secret ary of AIADMK (Amma) T.T.V. Dhinakaran had declared that he would chalk out his own course of strategy after August 5. But, daggers seem to be out immediately after the Presidential elections. Dhinakaran also met seven MLAs supporting him and held discussions with his supporters Nanjil Sampath and Thalavai Sundaram on the day of Presidential elections.
So far the family has been trying to maintain that Palaniswami had not moved away from the family control and even deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran supporters had praised the Chief Minister in the Assembly as a loyal soldier of Sasikala.
Namadhu MGR was giving equal importance to the Chief Minister and other ministers, besides giving good coverage to Dhinakaran, in what appeared to be an attempt to show that the powers had been divided equally between the two. Palaniswami for the government and Dhinakaran for the party was the repeated assertion of the latter's supporters.
On the day of Presidential elections, news about the Chief Minister's visit to Kodungaiyur on Sunday to console the victims of fire tragedy, had been totally blacked out. Besides, the party organ is no more giving reports of the speeches and actions of AIADMK ministers.
The party organ also claimed that AIADMK MLAs decided to vote for the BJP's Presidential candidate following directions from Sasikala. However, it was the Chief Minister who announced AIADMK support to the BJP nominee, before the family made any announcement.
Mum is ePS’ word
Palaniswami nominated by Sasikala for Chief Minister's post began drifting away from the family slowly. When his cabinet colleagues announced that they would distance themselves from Sasikala's family, the Chief Minister remained silent. Some of Dhinakaran's supporters had asked Palaniswami to come out openly if he is opposed to Sasikala or not, but the queries did not elicit any reply from the Chief Minister. When the organ started attacking the BJP and Union government, finance minister D. Jayakumar distanced the party from the paper, saying that it is no more the party organ. However, the Chief Minister had greeted Namadhu MGR'on its 30th inauguration day and described it as the official organ of AIADMK.
