AIADMK meeting of top office bearers violates party by-law: O Panneerselvam

Ahead of the meeting of top office-bearers of the AIADMK at the party's head office in Chennai, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam has said that the meeting is a violation of the party by-law

Ahead of the meeting of top office-bearers of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday at the party's head office in Chennai on Monday, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam has said that the meeting is a violation of the party by-law.

Pannerselvam or OPS as he is known, added that meetings could be convened only with the approval of both coordinator and co-coordinator.

This comes amid the battle for single leadership in the AIADMK between former Tamil Nadu chief minister and party co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) and his former deputy CM and coordinator O Panneersevelam (OPS).

In a statement, OPS, who is the treasurer of the party said that since as a coordinator of the AIADMK he had not given any approval to the meeting and in such a case if the meeting is convened, it will be in violation of the rule.

"The meeting of headquarters functionaries was convened in contravention of party bylaw, adding that only the coordinator and co-coordinator are authorized to convene any party meeting. Under the AIADMK Law, Rule 20A (v) - the overall management responsibilities of the party are vested in the Co-ordinator and Co-Coordinator. Accordingly, any meeting must be convened with the consent of both parties. However, without the consent and signature of both parties, a notice has been issued in the name of the 'headquarters functionaries meeting "against the rules and regulations of the party," Panneerselvam said in a statement.

"As the coordinator of the AIADMK, I did not give any approval to the above meeting. In such a case, the said meeting convened in violation of the rule is contrary to party law and rules. I would like to inform all the party workers that if any decision is taken at the above meeting convened outside the party legal framework it will not in any way restrict the party who are under the administration of the party coordinator and the party co-coordinator," he added.

At the party's general council meeting on June 23, Tamil Magan Hussain was elected as the AIADMK Presidium Chairman. At the meeting all 23 resolutions put forward were rejected and it was decided to hold the next general council meeting of AIADMK on July 11, 2022, at 9.15 am.

Notably, till 2016, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was the sole leader of the AIADMK. When Jayalalithaa passed away in 2016, the party decided to appoint OPS to the Chief Minister's chair.

However, in February 2017, AIADMK suffered a crushing defeat in the state elections and Sasikala, Jayalalithaa's close aide, decided to take over the leadership. Subsequently, OPS was replaced as the chief minister by EPS. This caused a lot of turmoil in the AIADMK.

As time passed by, OPS became the coordinator of AIADMK with EPS becoming the co-coordinator. AIADMK was being run as a party with dual leadership. But now, the call for a unitary leadership has intensified and all eyes are on the crucial general council meeting on July 11.