'AIADMK to fight 2021 Assembly polls with present set up'

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Chennai, Sep 28 (IANS) The AIADMK will fight the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls in the existing set up - with Chief Minister K. Palaniswami as the head of the government and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam as the party Coordinator, a senior party official said on Monday.

"There will not be any change in the current set up. The status quo will continue. The party will face the elections with Palaniswami heading the caretaker government while Panneerselvam stays party Coordinator," the senior official, who did not want to be identified, told IANS.

According to him, this will be the announcement that would be made by Panneerselvam and Palaniswami on October 7.

After the party's Executive Committee meeting here, Deputy Coordinator K.P. Munusamy told reporters that the party's Chief Ministerial candidate will be announced on October 7 by Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, who is also the party's Joint Coordinator.

As to the deliberations at the Executive Committee meeting, the senior leader said it went on for about four hours, and owing to the lack of time, all the members were not able to speak.

The long-time party leader said there were speakers who spoke in favour of the two top leaders.

"Palaniswami supporters spoke about the goodwill earned by the government in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic and other aspects. Similarly, supporters of Panneerselvam also praised his part in the government," the leader said.

According to him, Panneerselvam had said that he had not demanded the Chief Minister post.

At the time of merging his faction with the AIADMK, Panneerselvam had agreed that he will be the Deputy Chief Minister and party Coordinator and till now, he has maintained that.

Earlier, the Executive Committee passed a resolution to exhort AIADMK cadres to work unitedly to win the Assembly elections.

The committee also passed resolutions urging the Centre to release pending GST dues, not to give Karnataka the permission to build the Mekedatu dam, and also to drop the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test, the party said on Monday.

The meeting also passed resolutions seeking that the Central government release funds to fight Covid-19 pandemic, retrieve the Katchatheevu islet transferred to Sri Lanka, and to include an expert from Tamil Nadu in the committee to study the origin and evolution of Indian culture during the past 12 millennia.

The meeting was held at the party headquarters here, outside which a festive mood prevailed. Party cadres gave a rousing welcome to both Panneerselvam and Palaniswami when they arrived.

--IANS

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