AIADMK potboiler: EPS expels OPS...& OPS returns favour

Chennai: In a day of fastpaced developments which saw the Opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on the verge of a breakup, the party on Monday elected former CM Edappady K Palaniswami as its interim General Secretary abolishing the dual leadership model and also expelled O Panneerselvam, former CM, from the party’s primary membership for allegedly acting against its interests.

A meeting of the AIADMK’s General Council(GC) picked Palaniswami, 68, as its supreme leader and vested in him full powers amid a prolonged internal power struggle shortly after the Madras High Court rejected Panneerselvam’s plea to stay the meeting of the rival faction. Ahead of the GC meeting in a marriage hall, violence involving the supporters of Palaniswami (EPS) and Panneerselvam (OPS) broke out with some people sustaining injuries.

The AIADMK has strived hard to maintain unity after the death of its supremo and CM Jayalalithaa on December 5, 2016 but all hell broke loose on Monday. In a counter move, Panneerselvam “expelled” Palaniswamy from the primary membership of the party.

The AIADMK also formally resolved to hold organisational polls in four months to elect a General Secretary. The ruling DMK stands to electorally gain to a significant extent from the tumultous happenings in the AIAMK while the BJP, though now on the fringes, could aspire to get more electoral space.

Although a huge chunk of party workers and office-bearers are apparently with Palaniswami, Panneerselvam does have clout among sections of party workers in select regions of Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, Panneerselvam told reporters he was elected as Coordinator by ‘1.5 crore’ party workers and that neither Palaniswami nor another leader, KP Munusamy had the right to expel him. Responding to reporters’ queries on the next course of action, the former chief minister said he would approach the courts with the support of party workers and secure justice. PTI