Panneerselvam told reporters that Palaniswami was elected as CM candidate by all office bearers, deputy coordinators of the party besides the 11 member steering committee. 

CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam today announced joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami as the party’s Chief Minister candidate for 2021 Assembly elections. Meanwhile Palaniswami announced the constitution of the 11 member steering committee, a promise made three years ago when the faction led by Panneerselvam merged with the faction led by Palaniswami. However, the powers of the committee were not announced today. 

Later, Palaniswami and Paannerselvam visited the memorial of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

Panneerselvam told reporters that Palaniswami was elected as CM candidate by all office bearers, deputy coordinators of the party besides the 11 member steering committee. 

The 11-member steering committee includes Dindigul Sreenivasan, Thangamani, SP Velumani, Jayakumar, CV Shanmugam, Kamaraj, Prabakaram (former MLA), PH Manoj Pandian, Pa Mohan, Gopala Krishnan, Manikam MLA (Cholavandam constituency).

Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam said: “As per the resolution passed in the general body meeting, our Chief Minister announced the 11 member names of the steering committee and I wish them all.”

“Our party is found by MG Ramachandran in name of Anna. And it is a party movement and nobody has won three times. Our Amma led the party with the same path of MGR. His dreams of party and government should be with cadres. We are doing it now,” he said.

On October 1, Tamil Nadu Minister D Jayakumar had sought to play down reports of differences between Chief Minister E Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, saying that there are no differences between the two.

On reports that Panneerselvam earlier skipped the meeting called by the Chief Minister and met party members, he said, “He is our party organisation coordinator, so what is the problem if he meets party members. There could be many reasons for not attending the Chief Minister’s meeting, like meeting medical experts etc. But please don’t link it to politics.”

Earlier, sources told ANI that during the AIADMK’s executive party meet on September 28, the discussions for party’s Chief Ministerial face was debated for more than five hours with Palaniswami and Panneerselvam in the race.

During the meeting, it was also felt that in case the current Chief Minister was not named as the candidate for the next year’s Assembly elections it would make the party and its government in the state a subject of ridicule for the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Palaniswami got backing from senior leaders S Semmalai, P Thangamani, CV Shanmugam and Natham R Viswanathan in the meeting.

A top source in the party, who himself was earlier backing Panneerselvam before the merger that the debate around the Chief Minister post candidate should be considered settled now with most of the leaders agreeing with the final outcome “as of now” to Palaniswami as a candidate for 2021 elections.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to actress Rhea Chakraborty, arrested over drug-related charges in actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case.

The HC, however, rejected the bail plea of her brother Showik Chakraborty, who is also an accused in the case.

The duo was arrested last month by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with its drug probe related to the case of Rajput’s death.

Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14 this year.

Noida (UP): The Gautam Buddh Nagar police on Sunday apologized to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and said it has ordered an inquiry into a policeman holding the Congress leader by her kurta during a ruckus at the DND flyover on Saturday.

Priyanka along with other Congress leaders including her brother Rahul Gandhi was on their way to Hathras on Saturday afternoon to meet the family of a woman who died after an alleged gangrape, when the incident occurred at the Delhi-UP border.

There were scuffles involving Congress workers and the Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) police during which she was manhandled.

In the melee, a helmet-wearing policeman had held the 48-year-old Congress general secretary by her kurta at the DND toll plaza while a crowd surrounded them.

“Noida Police profoundly regrets the incident with Priyanka Gandhi while handling an unruly crowd at the DND. We also apologize to Priyanka Gandhi” a statement from the District police stated.

“The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) has taken suo moto cognizance of the incident and ordered an inquiry to be conducted by a senior lady officer. We, at Noida Police, are committed to ensuring the safety and dignity of women, the statement added.

The police added that punitive action would be ensured after the probe into the matter.

Pictures and videos of the incident also surfaced on social media, drawing criticism for the state government and the police.