Tamil Nadu’s Nitish Kumar or assertive chief? Edappadi Palaniswami confronts a battle of perceptions

Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the general secretary of the AIADMK, is facing a political battle in Tamil Nadu's upcoming Assembly election, with his rivals, particularly the ruling DMK, accusing him of being subservient to the BJP. The DMK has framed the election as a contest between Tamil Nadu and New Delhi, highlighting Palaniswami's decision to embrace certain Central schemes that were opposed by former leader Jayalalithaa. To counter these accusations, Palaniswami has taken steps to assert his authority within the NDA alliance, including meeting with key BJP leaders and announcing seat-sharing arrangements. The outcome of this battle will be determined on May 4th when the votes are counted.