Droupadi Murmu, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in the presidential election, on Saturday met leaders of the allies in Tamil Nadu and sought their support.
Amid the friction over the party's leadership, AIADMK leaders Edappadi K. Palaniswami and O . Panneerselvam met her separately and extended their support.
When Mr. Palaniswami and his supporters were present on the stage, Mr. Panneerselvam and his supporters stayed away.
Speaking at an event organised at a private hotel in Chennai, Ms. Murmu expressed happiness in visiting Tamil Nadu, which she said has historic significance. She requested the leaders to consider her as a sister and support her.
“The AIADMK welcomes you to Tamil Nadu on your election campaign, and we are really proud to receive you as the presidential candidate of the NDA,” said Mr. Palaniswami, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
On behalf of his party, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing Ms. Murmu, hailing from the Scheduled Tribe, as the presidential candidate. He assured Ms. Murmu that all AIADMK MPs and MLAs would wholeheartedly support her for her “Himalayan victory”.
After Mr. Palaniswami left, Mr. Panneerselvam came to the stage and extended his support. “On behalf of the AIADMK, I, as the coordinator of the party, welcome you to this illustrious State of Tamil Nadu,” he said.
“By electing you as the President of India, it will be for the first time that a woman from the Scheduled Tribe would be getting a chance to occupy the highest position of India. It shows the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards the empowerment of women and downtrodden,” he said, assuring her of the AIADMK’s support.
Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Panneerselvam said that according to the party’s by-laws, he is still the coordinator.
Meanwhile, former Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar told reporters that had Mr. Panneerselvam respected the decision of the general council, there would not have been any problem. He reiterated that the general council has all the powers and the majority of its members backed the unitary leadership of Mr. Palaniswami.
After his meeting with Ms. Murmu, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters that leaving politics aside, all parties should back her.
Tamil Maanila Congress president G.K. Vasan, Premalatha Vijayakanth of the DMDK, K. Krishnasamy of the Puthiya Thamizhagam, and A.C. Shanmugam of the New Justice Party, among others, participated at the meeting.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries and Dairy Development L. Murugan, BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai and MLAs Nainar Nagendran and Vanathi Srinivasan were present at the meeting.
