EPS is winner as AIADMK council scraps dual leadership, expels OPS

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday made Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) its leader as interim general secretary and expelled former chief minister O Panneerselvam  (OPS), ending a dual power structure in Tamil Nadu’s main Opposition party that lost power in 2021.

A meeting of AIADMK’s general council, which has more than 2,500 members, in Chennai expelled OPS from its primary membership and as treasurer for allegedly working against the party. OPS rejected the council’s decision and announced expelling EPS instead. OPS said his camp would approach the courts against the general council meeting.

The AIADMK has 66 MLAs in the state Assembly and five MPs. EPS has the support of a majority of the party MLAs and district secretaries. EPS will now be holding a position that J Jayalaithaa, the late AIADMK leader held for years. EPS and OPS made a dual leadership agreement after Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 to keep the former chief minister’s aide V K Sasikala away from the party. Sasikala was made the general secretary for a brief period and later expelled.

The rift between the two factions intensified during Rajya Sabha elections this year, when OPS demanded seats for his loyalists. Analysts say that one reason EPS wanted single leadership was to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

A resolution at AIADMK’s general council alleged that OPS taking a legal route to stall a general committee meeting on June 23 was proof of anti-party activity. The party also expelled leaders R Vaithilingam, P H Manoj Pandian (both legislators), and former-MLA JCD Prabakar, who were close allies of OPS.

The OPS camp had approached the court against the general committee meeting held last month. A ruling by the Madras High Court upholding the position of OPS and against any decision on unitary leadership is what restrained the party and the EPS faction from taking a decision on unitary leadership in June. OPS had even reportedly approached the Election Commission, citing that the Monday (July 11) meeting was held unilaterally without his consent. In the meeting, the party decided to conduct organisational polls in four months to elect general secretary. The OPS camp had approached the court citing that the meeting called by a newly appointed presidium chairman is technically illegal.

THE RIFT WIDENS

• O Panneerselvam (OPS), a loyalist of Amma, became CM for the 3rd time in 2016 after her demise, but had to resign two months later
• Settled down as deputy CM and announced EPS as CM nominee for 2021 polls
• He is now trying to fight the odds to retain his hold over the party, backed by a thin cadre strength

• Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), elected interim general secretary, has been vested with full powers to helm the party
• EPS camp believes dual leadership no longer existed as the June 23 meeting did not approve the election and alleges that OPS has never done anything good for AIADMK