Edappadi K Palaniswami elected as AIADMK legislature party leader, to be opposition leader in Tamil Nadu Assembly

The development comes ahead of the maiden session of the State Assembly on Tuesday.

Edappadi K Palaniswami (L) with O Panneerselvam (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: A week after the results of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, the main opposition party AIADMK on Monday (May 10, 2021) elected former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami as its legislature party leader. The announcement came after two meetings over the last one week within the AIADMK, to decide between O Pannerselvam and Palaniswami as the leader of the opposition. 

The AIAMDK's official Twitter handle announced the development ahead of the maiden session of the State Assembly on Tuesday. 

The previous meeting of AIADMK party MLAs, which was held on Friday, was inconclusive as there were arguments between the supporters of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam over who deserved to be the leader of the opposition. 

It is pertinent to note that Panneerselvam was always the trusted lieutenant of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, as he was chosen to be sit-in Chief Minister whenever Jayalalithaa had to step down owing to a crisis or incarceration. However, in the tussle that ensued after Jayalalithaa's demise in 2016, it was Palaniswami who gradually took over the reins of the party.

Between 2017 and 2021, Palaniswami held his flock together and continued to govern unhindered, despite repeated threats from the then opposition leader Stalin about AIADMK Government's imminent fall. 

Of the two leaders, Palaniswami is also seen as the one with a more dynamic image and connect, as he has been at the forefront of AIADMK's governance over the past four years. With his vociferous attacks against the opposition in the Assembly, defence of AIADMK's decisions and schemes, Palaniswami has established himself as the leader of the post-Jaya AIADMK.

Palaniswami has also been the major campaigner for the AIADMK during the recently concluded polls, where his oratory skills were put to good use, in attacks against the opposition. However, the AIADMK which was vying for a third straight term managed to win only 66 seats, whereas their allies BJP and PMK won four and five seats respectively. 

In the 234-seat Assembly, the DMK under MK Stalin won in 133 constituencies and their allies including the Congress and Left parties won 26 constituencies. While there were players such as Kamal Haasan, TTV DInakaran and Seeman who were aiming to make a dent in the polls, all of their parties drew a blank and only managed to cut votes of the major parties.