In AIADMK, more party men press for leadership overhaul

Rajan Chellappa, a lawmaker from Madurai north, said the party and the government should have a single leader.

Two ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislators have demanded an end to the dual leadership in their party after the rout it faced in the national polls.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy, O Panneerselvam, have been running the government as well as the party as AIADMK’s co-conveners. (Photo:AIADMK Twitter)

Rajan Chellappa, a lawmaker from Madurai north, said the party and the government should have a single leader.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy, O Panneerselvam, have been running the government as well as the party as AIADMK’s co-conveners.Another lawmaker, Ramachandran, echoed Chellappa. “One leader should control the AIADMK. Dual leadership is not good for the party,” said Ramachandran. Palaniswami and Panneerselvam requested leaders of their party against commenting about the leadership and election rout in public.AIADMK’s deputy co-ordinator, KP Munusamy, said that his party is strong under the current leadership structure that was put in place following former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016.“Rajan Chellappa and Ramachandran could have avoided their comments. We cannot accept their ideas. The AIADMK is performing well under the dual leadership.” Political analyst S Ramesh said Chellappa and Ramachandran’s views show that many within AIADMK are unhappy with the leadership after the party won just one out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats. Former Madurai mayor V Rajan Chellappa had also demanded a change in the leadership on Saturday following the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha elections.