11 facts about Palanisamy, Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister

 

The Governor Vidyasaagr Rao has invited Edapaddi Palanisamy to form the government in tamil Nadu. Palanisamy has been an AIADMK man since the very beginning of his political career and that, probably holds weight in the matter of who to choose for the post of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. He was the new entrant in the bitter turf war between AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala and acting chief minister O Panneerselvam. 

 

#The 63-year-old Palanisamy was a loyalist of Jayalalithaa and began his political career in AIADMK in 1974 as an ordinary party member.

 

#Currently, Palanisamy has been elected the AIADMK's legislative party chief for the Assembly and he has been invited by the Governor Vidyasagar Rao to form the government in Tamil Nadu. He will be sworn-in on February 16. He won on the basis of enjoying the support of 124 MLAs.

 

#E Palanisamy now has to prove majority in 15 days after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu today

 

#Palanisamy, was appointed by Sasikala after she was convicted in the Disproportionate Assets Case by the Supreme Court.

 

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#Edapaddi's caste factor significantly comes into this representation as he is considered a powerful member of the Gounder community. A native of Nedungulam village in Salem district, he later became a local level party secretary for Siluvampalayam in Edappadi Panchayat Union in Salem.
 

#Belonging to an agrarian family, in the Edappadi village, ironically Palanisamy also came into the party in 1974 when MGR had just instituted the party (1972). He was then witness to the ugly political spat between Jayalalithaa and Janaki for the seat of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.  At that time he had sided with Jayalalithaa over Janaki. Today, he has chosen Sasikala, Amma’s friend, over O Panneerselvam, when the latter  revolted against the interim general secretary.

 

#He was part of Jayalalithaa's band of men called the Nalvar Ani in Tamil

#In 1985, even before the demise of MGR, Palanisamy's followers say he had put up a separate party flag mast "honouring" Puratchi Thalaivi Amma across Edappadi region. In 1990, when Jayalalithaa unified the AIADMK, he was elevated as Salem North District joint secretary.

 

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#In 1989, 1991, 2011 and 2016 Assembly polls, he won from Edappadi constituency. When AIADMK was routed in the 1996 Assembly polls, he too lost from Edappadi. Similarly, he was defeated in the 2001, 2006 Assembly polls and the 1999 and 2004 parliamentary polls. In 1998, he went to Lok Sabha by winning the Tiruchengode Lok Sabha seat.

 

#If one were to compare his performance with the rest of the seniors in the party like K A Sengottaiyan, the other name that was in the fray for CM, Palanisamy has not much to his credit. Yet, his loyalty to the party, to Amma and his 2011 election win is what him a frontrunner. That election saw him win 10 of 11 Assembly segments in Salem district in the 2016 polls. Acknowledging his contributions, he was given the key portfolio of Public Works, besides Highways and Minor Ports, which he had already been holding.

 

#Since 2011, he had been holding the position of Minister for Highways and Minor Ports and he has held various party posts including propaganda secretary, organisation secretary, and disciplinary committee member. Currently, he is also the party headquarters secretary and Salem Rural District party secretary.

 

 

(with inputs from PTI)