OPS declares Dharmayudham 2.0 to protect party and bylaws

CHENNAI: Ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Monday declared the Dharmayudham 2.0 to protect the party, and its by-laws and said that he would create an atmosphere to make a cadre as party leader.

"We have started the second Dharmayudham to protect the bylaws created by party founder M G Ramachandran and leader J Jayalalithaa,” said OPS while addressing the district secretaries of his faction.

Flanked by his political consultant Panrutti S Ramachandran and supporters R Vaithilingam, KP Krishnan, and P H Manoj Pandian, OPS said, "Our leaders MGR and Jayalalithaa made sure that everyone in the party was proud to be a cadre. They created the bylaws that cadres can only decide who can be given the party leadership posts. But the laws have been destroyed to the optimum level. Now, the persons holding the party leadership posts are acting like dictators."

Withouting taking the name of Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, OPS said, "I am not even interested to utter their names. They have lost their respect and they took away the cadres' right and pride."

Recalling the Supreme Court direction, regarding the party symbol ahead of the Erode East bypoll, he said that they accepted the direction. But the people of the state would give their judgement and then they would come to know the reality. "It will come to know when the counting for the Erode East constituency on March 2," he said.

He vented his ire over the general council meeting held in July last year and said that the 23 resolutions approved by the Coordinator and Joint Coordinator were rejected categorically. "We will be in the forefront and will protect everyone of you (district secretaries) if any problems arise," OPS said while addressing the district secretaries and asked them to reach out to the people to win back their confidence.

On the occasion, they have passed resolutions to make late party Supremo Jayalalithaa as the permanent general secretary of the party and free the party from the EPS camp.