The withdrawal of its candidate for the Erode Assembly seat bypoll by the O Panneerselvam group of the AIADMK has sealed any remaining hopes OPS may have had of seizing control of the party. Correspondingly, it has strengthened the position of the BJP, helping it ingratiate itself with the official E Palaniswami group of the AIADMK by getting OPS to step down. With OPS deciding not to object to the EPS group candidate fighting on the AIADMK's 'Two Leaves' symbol in the election either, he seems ready to concede even that fight. OPS's climbdown appears to have followed a clear message from the BJP high command – delivered by its Tamil Nadu chief Annamalai, who made a quick trip to Delhi last weekend – that he could not continue to count on the BJP's support. After J Jayalalithaa's death, a top RSS ideologue in Chennai is believed to have played a key role in propping up OPS to keep EPS on his toes, and the BJP in the game. For the BJP, which has been hoping for an end to the internal AIADMK fight well before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the detente could not have been better or more well-timed. OPS, who initially said he would withdraw his candidate only in favour of the BJP, if it decided to contest, did so Monday evening without even an assurance from arch-rival EPS. The withdrawal leaves EPS group's K S Thennarasu in a strong position for the Erode bypoll. Earlier, OPS had lost control of the party in July when EPS was named the interim general secretary at a meeting where almost all the leaders and cadres present picked him. The BJP though had been trying to keep OPS in the reckoning, as he was seen as having the aforementioned RSS leader's backing. Now, with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP appears to have ended its dilemma between the two, realising that EPS is more likely to get it the numbers. A senior BJP leader said: "We can no longer protect OPS when it is clear that the AIADMK is with EPS. OPS didn't try to grow, or use all this time to win over people in the party. He has become a leader who only cares about his son.” The EPS side seems in no mood to extend OPS any grace, and a BJP leader said it had rejected the latter's offer to work for the AIADMK's official candidate now. "At this point, when he is in control of the whole party, there is no point questioning his decisions,” the BJP leader said, adding that they now wanted to focus on ensuring a mutually respectful relationship with EPS. As per BJP sources, the EPS-OPS developments also suggest a power shift within the party, with the role of a small RSS group now set to dwindle. A senior RSS leader admitted that “the new strategy seems to be working”, adding that they couldn't have let steps that had led to the BJP being seen as a Delhi-based bully continue. Meanwhile, in perhaps its last attempt to show it still has some fight left in it, the OPS faction announced the appointment of its dropped Erode candidate, B Senthil Murugan, as in-charge of the party organisation in Erode district.
