Cold war in ADMK: High drama unfurled on Monday

CHENNAI: There were unruly scenes at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai as the party’s top office-bearers met on Monday. Photos of AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam were cut out from the huge hoardings adorning the office and slogans were shouted against him.

OPS had late Monday night claimed that the meeting is a violation of the party bye-law

High drama unfurled at the AIADMK headquarters here on Monday where a crucial high-level office-bearers meeting was presided by Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The proposed elevation of Palaniswami as the next party general secretary was discussed.

Despite the party coordinator O Panneerselvam, in his statement mentioned that the meeting was “illegal,” supporters of EPS went ahead with the meeting without the consent of the party coordinator. Banners and posters of OPS at the party headquarters were torn by EPS supporters and slogans crticising OPS were also voiced by the supporters of EPS.

AIADMK party sources told DT Next that the agenda of the meeting was to scrap the dual leadership in the party as it will not strengthen the outfit. “This will be surely informed in the general council meeting of our party,” a senior functionary of the party said.

Emerging out of the AIADMK’s meeting, former fisheries minister D Jayakumar claimed that there is no need for the consent of OPS to convene the meeting and said party bye law permits the seniors to convene the meeting.

With regard to Panneerselvam’s statement claiming that the AIADMK’s Monday meeting was illegal, Jayakumar said that “he (Panneerselvam) do not know the basic rule of the party.”

He alleged that Panneerslavam has already “betrayed the party after Amma’s (Jayalalithaa) rule,” and he does not have any local standi to claim the post of party coordinator. To a question whether OPS would continue to be the party’s treasurer, he said only the July 11 General Council could provide the answer. “Whether or not he will continue as treasurer will be decided in the meeting.”

Meanwhile, the EPS faction was not interested to conduct the General Council meeting at the usual place in Vanagaram. AIADMK seniors Jayakumar and KA Sengottiyan also discussed the feasibility of holding the party general council at a private college at Meenambakkam, but it is reported that the Higher Education Department had denied permission for the political event.