Chennai: Rattled at the BJP attempting to outsmart the AIADMK by projecting itself as the main opposition to the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, EPS has been forced to retrieve lost ground by dispelling the impression that the Dravidian party is subservient to the saffron party. Content at issuing press releases critical of the MK Stalin administration, he was more focused on setting his house in order and keeping in check his rival, O Panneerselvam (OPS), heading a tiny fraction of the AIADMK. Now, he has started flexing his muscles and announced a series of state-wide protests.
With the AIADMK in disarray following the split and the ongoing legal battle for control of the party, BJP state president K Annamalai has occupied the media space with his no holds barred attack on the Stalin government and protests which drew large crowds in Chennai, Coimbatore and other places. The inaction of EPS, has greatly helped the BJP to make a determined attempt to encroach upon the space vacated by the AIADMK. Whether it was the Coimbatore blast for which the saffron parivar blamed the DMK's minority appeasement or taking on the state cabinet's Young Turks like V Senthil Balaji and PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, it was Annamalai who was at the forefront.
Even many observers sympathetic to the AIADMK wondered at the studied silence of party leadership, especially EPS, on the BJP punching above its weight and Annamalai claiming that the BJP is the alternative to the ruling DMK. The BJP, despite the tall claims, has only four legislators in the Assembly, whose victory was made possible only due to the alliance with the AIADMK. On the other hand, the AIADMK led by EPS has 62 of the 66 MLAs loyal to him besides the support of 69 of the 75 party district secretaries. Besides himself, OPS has the support of only three MLAs and six district secretaries.
Unlike the DMK, protests and party conferences have never been the political culture of the AIADMK, though the cadres had come to the streets when Jayalalithaa was arrested and earlier when party founder, the iconic film star MG Ramachandran (MGR) sat on a dharna. Now, the rules of the game have changed since EPS is not a charismatic leader but one who was catapulted to the top by circumstances.