EPS tries to fortify position in AIADMK as he marks centenary year of former CM Janaki
S Janaki, who took the post in 1987 following the death of her husband and AIADMK’s founder MGR’s death, became Tamil Nadu’s first woman CM, but could hold on to the position only for 24 days
An accidental chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) on Sunday celebrated the centenary year of another accidental chief minister S Janaki, who took the post in 1987 following the death of her husband and AIADMK’s founder MGR’s (MG Ramachandran’s) death, to become Tamil Nadu’s first woman chief minister but could hold on to the position only for 24 days.
Janaki lost out on support to J Jayalalithaa who began to head the AIADMK from 1989. Following Jayalalithaa’s death in office in 2016, EPS who was nowhere close to the race was handpicked to become chief minister and who is now the leader of opposition and AIADMK’s general secretary on Sunday planned a mega event in Chennai.
It comes at a time when the AIADMK is at its lowest with the party losing every election since Jayalaalithaa’s death. And while it has splintered into factions with EPS refusing to take back the trio he expelled – VK Sasikala who made him the chief minister, her nephew TTV Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam with whom he jointly led the AIADMK and the state for five years until 2022.
EPS said: “It is normal for a change in government but AIADMK will emerge victorious in the 2026 assembly elections. We are a family party of cadres. We are not like the DMK which is a party of (late) M Karunanidhi’s family.”
“Only those in his family can become leaders of the party and govern the state. But, in AIADMK anyone who works hard and is loyal can become the general secretary of the party and even become chief minister,” he said, while referring to the trio he expelled for going against the party’s principles and targeting the elevation of Karunanidhi’s grandson and chief minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi as deputy chief minister in September.
EPS went on to further compare the AIADMK and the ruling DMK. “We have ruled Tamil Nadu much longer than the DMK. We have ruled for 31 years,” EPS said. “And we gave good governance. Tamil Nadu is in the forefront now because of the schemes laid out by the AIADMK.”
At the event, there was an AI generated video of MGR addressing the cadre and praising EPS for following the footsteps of him and Jayalalithaa. Actor Rajinikanth, who couldn’t attend the event, released a video message praising Janaki for handing over the party to Jayalalithaa which led to the factions of the two women to unite under the AIADMK after MGR’s death.
Though Rajinikanth is a non-starter in politics, his comments back in the 90s swayed Tamil Nadu’s vote bank. Jayalalithaa lost the 1996 assembly election which has historically been linked to Rajinikanth saying that “even God can’t save Tamil Nadu” if she is voted back to power. “The ‘Two Leaves’ symbol is the Brahmastra of the AIADMK, and madam Janaki played a key role in its retrieval after it was frozen,” said Rajinikanth after the iconic symbol was frozen following MGR’s death and the split. “It was a great sacrifice, and I congratulate the AIADMK for celebrating her centenary.” Janaki had lost the vote of confidence in the assembly before renouncing the reins of the AIADMK.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised EPS of leading the AIADMK in a poor way that nobody wants to join their alliance. After the EPS led AIADMK broke of its alliance with the BJP last September, most of the allies except the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) stayed with the national party. “AIADMK’s treasurer Dindigul Srinivasan is himself saying at a party meeting that certain parties were demanding ₹100 crore to join their alliance,” Udhayanidhi said. “This shows the state of the AIADMK alliance. But, our DMK-led secular progressive alliance is united and has proven to be a winning coalition.”
Responding to EPS who questioned his elevation, sports minister Udhayanidhi said that he was not like EPS who fell on Sasikala’s feet to get the post to head the AIADMK and become chief minister. “My rise from youth wing secretary to MLA, minister, and now deputy chief minister is built on hard work and the people’s trust,” Udhayanidhi said.