Despite the current government claiming that it has sidelined the Sasikala family, the party general secretary's husband M Natarajan has been all praise for the administration.
In an interview to Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai, Natarjan claimed that the government under Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) will complete its full term and meet the aspiration of the people. This statement comes at a time when merger talks between factions of the AIADMK have hit a dead-end.
Former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) had even claimed that midterm polls could be held in the state even before the local body election.
During the interview, Natarajan claimed that the government is functioning as required and that there was no law and order issue.
There are signals about the Centre’s support and I wish the government runs for the next four years satisfactorily. All is well with ministers taking decisions independently, especially on school education.Natarajan said
When TTV Dhinakaran was appointed as Deputy General Secretary after Sasikala was convicted in the Disproportionate Assets case, it was speculated that he kept aside all other family members from the party.
Natarajan, however, emerged as a strong voice in the party and seemed to be calling the shots.
Doubts about Natarajan’s active role in the party increased after a ‘news report’ published in Namadhu MGR on 1 May carried his photo alongside Ministers R Duraikannan, R Kamaraj, OS Manian, and Thanjavur district secretary M Rangaswamy.
One of the primary demands of the OPS faction, for a merger, has been that Sasikala's kin should be ostracised from the party. This rare interview, instead, indicates a growing bonhomie.
(This article was originally published in The News Minute)
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