Never thought I will become general secy, says EPS

VILLUPURAM: The Madras High Court will hear the petitions filed by AIADMK’s interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and his bête noire O Panneerselvam to remove the lock and seal on party headquarters on Thursday.

Both rivals have claimed rights over Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Maligai, and termed the Revenue Department’s move to seal the HQ as malicious.

Appearing for Palaniswami on Wednesday, advocate Mohammed Riyaz sought for an urgent hearing in the afternoon. However, Justice N Sathish Kumar noted that as the matter was filed by an MLA, he has to get the approval of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari. The judge has listed the matter for hearing on Thursday under the title ‘To Set Aside’.

Days after his elevation, AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday asserted that attempts by those ‘betraying’ the party to split it would not succeed and that the organisation would sustain on the strength of its supporters’ hard work. Palaniswami also said he never thought he would reach such heights in the organisation.

Attending a family event of a party functionary here, the Leader of Opposition said much like the party managed crises and successfully emerged during the days of the late AIADMK stalwarts MG Ramachandran (MGR, the founder) and J Jayalalithaa, it would once again bounce back now and even win back power.

Alluding to a Tamil reference to individuals that symbolises betrayal, he said such persons have been “unmasked”, but he did not name anyone.

“Despite being with us, they weakened us. We should have won the 2021 Assembly elections, but only now we know that those who conspired and prevented our win are trying to split the party,” he said in what seemed to be an apparent reference to his rival leader O Panneerselvam, since squeezed out of the party. “None can break the party... MGR and Amma (Jayalalithaa) are blessing us as gods. This party was created by the hard work of the AIADMK worker,” he said. DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin’s “attempts to defeat us through betrayers” would not succeed. It has been proven that only “dharma, justice and truth will prevail,” Palaniswami said.