CHENNAI: The dual leadership of the AIADMK appears to have resulted in problems for the party in its upper echelons, with ministers throwing their weight about without anyone to check them.Many MLAs and district unit functionaries, irrespective of whether they back Edappadi K Palaniswami or O Panneerselvam, are fuming over the behaviour of these ministers. Srivaikuntam legislator Shanmuganathan’s outburst against Palaniswami and Panneerselvam can be traced to his anger at them for not preventing minister Kadambur Raju from encroaching on his turf. Shanmuganathan did not turn up at the MGR centenary event in Kanyakumari on Saturday. Speculation is rife that he may switch to the TTV camp, just like former minister and Pollachi strongman, S Damodaran. Perundurai legislator and former minister Thoppu N D Venkatachalam is reportedly furious with the pary leadership for not reining in minister and Erode urban district secretary K C Karuppannan.The award of government contracts is the major bone of contention in the districts: Influential members of the government are accused of cornering them. There are also murmurs in the party over the fact that the party organs, Namadhu Amma and News J, are owned by cabinet members, and that health minister C Vijayabaskar was named organizing secretary days after his residence was searched by the CBI in the gutka scam.Another incident that caused unease was the bustup law minister C Ve Shanmugam had with Palaniswami over party affairs in Villupuram.The leadership’s attempt to sort things by appointing 72 headquarters secretaries, against 39 during Jayalalithaa’s time, has mollified few. “Much rebellion is expected when the verdict on disqualification of 18 MLAs is out and the TTV camp is gearing up,” said a senior leader.The OPS camp is especially dejected. There is no rush of partymen at his Greenways Road residence these days. Presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, deputy coordinator, K P Munusamy and minister Mafoi K Pandiarajan drop by “when the situation warrants.”But a senior leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says he has only himself to blame. “He [OPS] let down supporters one after another after gaining access to Fort St George in August 2017,” said the leader, who was one of the first few who rushed to Greenways Road on the night of February 7 last year.K C Palanisamy, who was sacked as party spokesperson without an opportunity to explain his remarks on the noconfidence motion against the Modi government, told TOI that the leadership has lost credibility among cadres and functionaries.

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