Chennai: Forward of the district secretaries’ assembly scheduled to be held on 5 November, AIADMK normal secretary Edappadi Okay. Palaniswami has tightened his grip over the celebration’s organisation, trying intently on the efficiency of the 82 AIADMK district secretaries within the state.

The efficiency report of the 82 district secretaries ready by the celebration’s battle room, which was arrange earlier this yr, is believed to indicate that the celebration’s western area district secretaries are functioning much better than their counterparts within the northern and southern areas of the state.

“Other than S.P. Velumani, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Tiruppur and Karur district secretaries are additionally performing effectively and it’s a stronghold since 2016. Regardless of the senior AIADMK chief from Erode. Sengottaiyan being faraway from the celebration, the area stays one of the best (probability) for revival of the celebration within the 2026 meeting election,” the supply aware of the report informed ThePrint.

Among the many greatest performing district secretaries within the western area, Salem’s suburban district secretary Elango and Namakkal’s district secretary former minister P. Thangamani outperformed different district secretaries within the area when it comes to holding the celebration alive on the bottom, regardless of the DMK former minister and western area in-charge V. Senthil Balaji’s dominance within the western area.

Political analysts within the state mentioned there’s a shift in EPS’ method in direction of celebration employees forward of the 2026 meeting elections.

“EPS is not trying only for loyalty and chief appeasement. He’s actually in search of outcomes on the bottom. Outfitted with a long time of conventional election dealing with information, now EPS can also be tightening his grip over the celebration to guide the celebration to victory,” mentioned political analyst N. Sathiyamoorthy, including that one has to attend and watch if his actions would convey him the specified outcomes.

“With the 2026 election anticipated to be fought amid anti-incumbency towards the DMK, EPS seems to be constructing a constituency-by-constituency revival map,” Sathiya Moorthy added.

A senior AIADMK chief within the western area mentioned that the report of district secretaries’ efficiency would be the foundation for the essential technique assembly to be convened on 5 November with district secretaries in Chennai.

“Whereas the assembly is known as solely on 5 November, the assembly could be prolonged to at least one extra day to debate districtwise technique for the 2026 meeting election,” the senior AIADMK chief within the western area mentioned.

One other senior AIADMK functionary informed ThePrint that the celebration management desires to drop non-performing district chiefs, and usher in recent, energetic native faces earlier than the meeting elections.

“The message from the highest is evident, nobody will get a ticket or put up primarily based on loyalty alone. Solely floor efficiency counts,” the senior AIADMK functionary informed ThePrint, referring to EPS eradicating over 40 AIADMK native functionaries within the Erode district earlier than sacking the minister from the celebration’s main membership.

Blended reviews from south and north TN

Whereas the western area stays sturdy, the report highlights uneven efficiency in northern and southern Tamil Nadu.

In response to the supply aware of the report, within the northern area, former minister and MP C.Ve. Shanmugam is alleged to be energetic on the sector to counter the dominance of former NDA ally PMK and DMK ally VCK. The report additionally identified that former Minister C. Vijayabaskar has been influential within the area regardless of not being in energy for the final 4 years.

“He outperforms the incumbent DMK Minister Raghupathi and is alleged to have a powerful public join,” the supply informed ThePrint.

Equally, within the southern area, in line with the supply, Minister Sellur Raju and R.B. Udhayakumar have a powerful public connection throughout the area, though they aren’t energetic on social media.

Nevertheless, within the southern area, former ministers together with Okay.T. Rajendra Balaji from Virudhunagar district within the south keep pleasant relations with rival DMK.

The senior AIADMK chief quoted above recalled that EPS had warned celebration leaders towards pleasant relations with DMK.

“In one of many district secretaries’ conferences held earlier this yr, our chief had warned that district secretaries have been being monitored and requested (them) to watch out whereas commenting on political developments. He had additionally warned towards having a pleasant relationship with rival DMK,” the senior chief recalled.

Regardless of the robust efficiency of former ministers within the area, the report attributed their lowered dominance to the extreme contest amongst main political events.

“With BJP positioning its state president Nainar Nagendran from the southern area, and DMK additionally concentrating on increasing its base within the southern area by deputing the celebration’s deputy normal secretary and MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi for the area, it’s making it robust for AIADMK to strengthen its organisation within the area,” the supply aware of the report informed ThePrint.

So far as the northern area is anxious, the supply famous that the dominance of PMK and VCK within the belt is making it troublesome to make inroads totally, besides few pockets within the area.

“For example, former minister Shanmugam has strengthened his base in Villupuram, and native functionaries have strengthened the celebration unit in Kallakurichi district, however that would not be performed in Ariyalur, Perambalur and different districts due to PMK and VCK’s dominance,” the supply informed ThePrint.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)

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