Thumping of desks was an honour normally reserved for two AIADMK leaders바카라MGR and Jayalalitha바카라whenever they returned to the assembly as CMs. On February 18, the recipient of such Âapplause happened to be Edapaddi K. Palaniswami as he completed three years as the 바카라accidental바카라 chief minister. To use the latest cricketing analogy, EPS was the 바카라concussion substitute바카라 who filled in when Sasikala Natarajan바카라s ambition to be CM was cut short by the rebellion of O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and the Supreme Court order that sent her to jail.
Like the first 바카라concussion substitute바카라, Marcus Labuchange of Australia, EPS has proved to be a handy standby, and also a consistent performer who has progressively turned assÂertive. He was the only one (along with Jayalalitha) to have his photo in the full-page newspaper ads on completion of his third year, empÂhasising that he is the AIADMK government바카라s face in the run-up to the May 2021 assembly elections.
At a cabinet meeting ahead of the milestone, EPS reportedly asked his ministers to campaign for votes by projecting him as the CM candidate. 바카라This would avoid any confusion among the cadre as people vote for CM candidates rather than for parties,바카라 he had loudly hinted. Since a dual leadership of EPS and OPS runs the party, Palaniswami prefers a singular face for the government while seeking re-election. 바카라As Stalin will be projected as the DMK바카라s CM face and Rajinikanth could be another contender, EPS wants the AIADMK to contest under a single leadership,바카라 says S. Ramesh of Thuglak magazine and a keen AIADMK watcÂher. 바카라OPS may extract his pound of flesh by demanding more MLA tickets for his supporters, but finally he too might grudgingly accept EPS as the CM candidate. Even the average AIADMK worker, used to the larger-than-life figures of MGR and Jayalalitha, has now accepÂted the down-to-earth approach of EPS. His simplicity and appÂroachability compensate for lack of charisma.바카라 EPS managed to reverse the DMK바카라s winning streak in the Lok Sabha polls with strong showings in the byelections and local body elections. He also has a few achievements to flaunt as CM바카라the top spot among all well-administered states, attracting new industrial investments, declaring the Cauvery delta a protected agricultural zone, making the state power surplus and a slew of welfare measures aimed at the poor. All he needs is the Âapproval of the voter next year.
By G.C. Shekhar in Chennai
