Dhinakaran Signals Openness to CM Candidate Other Than Palaniswami

Swift Summary

• AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran stated on Tuesday that his party would accept anyone other than AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the chief Ministerial candidate in an alliance.
• Speaking to the media, Dhinakaran called Mr. Palaniswami a “betrayer” and said his party cadre would reject him as the CM candidate.
• He criticized Mr. Palaniswami for allegedly betraying supporters during his tenure (2017-21) and offering 10.5% internal reservation among Most Backward Classes to Vanniyars, later quashed by courts.
• Dhinakaran alleged that this decision was politically motivated with an eye on votes from northern districts, accusing Mr. Palaniswami of creating social disorder thru such measures.
• He claimed that AIADMK’s popularity in southern Tamil Nadu has declined compared to its peak under M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa due to Mr. Palaniswami’s policies.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The remarks by T.T.V. Dhinakaran reflect ongoing fragmentation within Tamil Nadu’s political alliances and hint at deeper intraparty conflicts impacting electoral strategies ahead of future state Assembly elections. Disapproval regarding Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s leadership serves as a key factor driving political recalibrations within opposition factions like AMMK.

Dhinakaran’s criticism regarding caste-based reservations indicates heightened sensitivity around regional socio-political strategies employed by major parties such as AIADMK,revealing concerns over identity politics influencing voting patterns across northern versus southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

For broader implications, these developments underscore potential challenges for coalition-building dynamics in regional politics amid shifting stances among prominent leaders trying to solidify their influence heading into upcoming elections.

Read more: The hindu