Is Paneerselvam On His Way Out In Tamil Nadu?

* AIADMC wants to avoid UP like situation and wants all powers to be vested in one leader.

* Thambidurai fires the first shot. Many ministers back him.

* Power tussle begins in AIADMC?

Efforts to replace O Paneerselvam have picked pace within AIADMC, Making the first move, Sasikala Natarajan's biggest supporters and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai on Monday appealed to the newly appointed party general secretary V K Sasikala to become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, saying the leadership in both the party and governance should be with the same person.

Speaking to reporters after calling on Sasikala, the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker also cited the ongoing political tussle in the Samajwadi party in Uttar Pradesh to drive home his point that the control of government and party should vest in the same person.

Sasikala, appointed as General Secretary by the AIADMK's top decision-making body General Council on December 29, took charge of the post on December 31, pledging to take forward the legacy of Jayalalithaa. Already, almost all state ministers, part of the O Panneerselvam cabinet, have made similar appeals urging Sasikala to take over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

He said "Chinamma", as Sasikala is called by partymen, was a "deserving and eligible person" and that was why she was appointed party general secretary. Asked about the response of Sasikala, he said,"I have made my request as a party worker and given my representation. She did not give any reply."

Stating that a party comes to power for doing good to people by giving electoral promises, he said "It is my opinion that such promises could be fulfilled in the best manner only by the person with whom the party top position is vested." Giving past examples from the country's political history that it was the party chief who became the executive head of the government too at Centre and States, he said 'Amma', who was the party supremo became Chief Minister when the party was voted to power.

After the demise of Jayalalithaa on December 5, Panneerselvam was elected as the AIADMK legislature party leader and sworn in as Chief Minister at the same time.