Despite the current government claiming that it has sidelined the Sasikala family, the party General secretary's husband M Natarajan has been all praise for the administration.
In an interview to Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai, Natarjan claimed that the government under Edappadi Palaniswami will complete its full term and meet the aspiration of the people. This statement comes at a time when merger talks between both faction of the AIADMK have hit a dead end. Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had even claimed that midterm polls could be held in the state even before the local body election.
During the interview, Natarajan claimed that the governemnt is functioning as required adn that there was no law and order issue. “There are signals about the Centre's support and I wish the government runs for the next four years satisfactorily. All is well with ministers taking decisions independently, especially on school education."
When TTV Dhinakaran was appointed as Deputy General Secretary after Sasikala was convicted in the Disproportionate Assets case, it was speculated that he kept aside all other family members from the party. Natarajan was emerging as a strong voice in the party and seemed to be calling the shots before he was delivered this blow by Sasikala's nephew.
Doubts about Natarajan's active role in the party increased after a ‘news report’ published in ‘Namadhu MGR’ on May 1 carried his picture alongside Ministers R Duraikannan, R Kamaraj, OS Manian and Thanjavur district secretary M Rangaswamy. One of the primary demands of the OPS faction, for a merger, has been that Sasikala's kin should be ostracised from the party. This rare interview, instead, indicates a growing bonhomie.