Posters hailing AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam as the only Chief Ministerial candidate blessed by late party supremo J Jayalalithaa for the 2021 Assembly elections were found stuck on walls at several places in Theni district on Saturday, creating a buzz in the party. Against the backdrop of a recent debate among ministers over the prospective candidate for the polls, the posters that appeared in the native district of Panneerselvam, the Deputy Chief Minister, assumes significance.
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A poster said Panneerselvam "is the one and only Chief Minister blessed by Puratchi Thalaivi" (Revolutionary leader, a reference to Jayalalithaa), apparently indicating that he should be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the election and that he was chosen by the late leader to be the Chief Minister twice (2001 and 2014) while she was alive. Another said he was the "Chief Minister" for the ordinary people and the poor and was blessed by Amma. Another one hailed him as the "permanent Chief Minister." A common tag line found in a variety of posters was #2021 CM for OPS, suggesting that Panneerselvam should be the CM candidate.
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The slogans in the posters were dedicated to the "people of Kenjampatti village" in Bodinayakanur union in Theni district and were found in locations, including Periyakulam, (home town of Panneerselvam) and Theni in the district. Images of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, party icons, Jayalalithaa and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran were displayed in the posters.
