With more supporters of chief minister Edappady K Palaniswami coming out in the open to declare him as the next chief minister candidate of the party or the next chief minister of the state, the rift in the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu seems to widen each day after the party executive meeting failed to name a CM candidate a couple of days ago.

The report about O Panneerselvam, the coordinator of the party and deputy chief minister skipping two important ministry meeting with chief minister Edappady has already created rumours about the rift among these two top leaders on the issue of who will be the next chief minister candidate.

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On Thursday minister Dindigul Sreenivasan created a stir by saying that the upcoming AIADMK government will be led by Edappadi K Palaniswami again.

The minister has mentioned that Edappadi K Palaniswami will be the chief minister, against the backdrop of the AIADMK announcing that the chief ministerial candidate will be announced on 7 October.

The AIADMK executive committee convened a meeting earlier this week and said that the party will announce the chief minister candidate on 7 October following a rift between chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and the deputy chief minister O Pannerselvam. On Wednesday, minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan said, “On October 7, the chief minister and deputy chief minister will announce the chief ministerial candidate. There is no competition or problem. Next rule is by AIADMK and the next chief minister is Edappadi K Palaniswami.”

The statement of both ministers did not go well with OPS faction AIADMK members.

Former MLA JCD Prabhakar, after meeting deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said, “Sreenivasan is a senior member of the party and has held an important role in the party. I consider his statement at this period to be completely wrong.

The party coordinator and deputy party coordinator have categorically demanded that no one from the party should give their opinion on the next chief minister candidate or give press conferences.”

The statement by minister Dindigul Sreenivasan came a few hours after Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar met the press on Wednesday morning and said that there is no place for a split in AIADMK.

“Deputy CM is a coordinator of the party and is conducting consultations with other party members on the leadership issue. What is wrong with that?” said Jayakumar.

Meanwhile, hectic parleys continued for the second day at the residences of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam to reach an amicable solution to the crisis in the party.

But sources said that OPS was firm on the formation of an 11-member steering committee to guide the affairs of the AIADMK, a decision taken when the factions led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam merged three years ago.

Panneerselvam was shocked when a senior minister, ignoring the formal agenda of the AIADMK executive committee meeting on September 28, suddenly spoke about deciding on a chief ministerial candidate.