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Madras HC nullifies EPS’s appointment as AIADMK’s interim general secretary
Justice G Jayachandran ordered in favour of Panneerselvam, popularly known as OPS who challenged the proceedings of the July 11 meeting, and ordered status quo ante as of June 23
The Madras high court on Wednesday nullified the decisions taken last month at the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general council meeting, where the dual leadership model in Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party was ended with the naming of Edappadi K Palaniswami as the interim general secretary. The council also expelled O Panneerselvam, who has tussled with Palaniswami’s over the leadership, for “anti-party” activities.
Justice G Jayachandran ordered in favour of Panneerselvam, popularly known as OPS who challenged the proceedings of the July 11 meeting, and ordered status quo ante as of June 23. Palaniswami’s faction has argued the dual leadership was no longer in force as the council at its June 23 meeting did not ratify the election of both the leaders.
In July, the council abolished Panneerselvam and Palaniswami’s posts of coordinator and joint coordinator, which were created after late former chief minister Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, citing difficulty in decision-making and discontentment among cadres.
Palaniswami, who is better known as EPS, accused Panneerselvam of siding with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and weakening AIADMK. He said they faced a lot of trouble due to the dual leadership. Panneerselvam has remained defiant saying no leader has the right to expel him.
Panneerselvam’s supporters distributed sweets holding his portrait as they celebrated the court’s order. Kovai Selvaraj, one of his loyalists, said justice has prevailed and the court has rejected Palaniswami’s “selfish and autocratic” ways.
Former minister D Jayakumar, who is a supporter of Palaniswami, described the fresh court order a temporary relief for Panneerselvam. He reiterated the general council followed the AIADMK’s by-laws.
The council’s meeting in July was held after a go-ahead from the Madras high court, which rejected Panneerselvam’s plea for a stay on it. Palaniswami’s faction called the meeting, where the party resolved to hold organisational polls in four months to elect the general secretary. It amended several by-laws for fresh norms for election to the party’s top position and made only a person with 10-year primary membership eligible to contest for the post.
Panneerselvam did not attend the council’s meeting in July but visited the party’s headquarters, where supporters of AIADMK’s rival factions clashed and threw stones at each other. His supporters tried to break open a locked door to enter the headquarters. Officials rushed to the spot and sealed the premises.
The court earlier refused to interfere with the party’s internal affairs and said it was unfortunate that Panneerselvam approached it instead of the council.
Panneerselvam’s camp insisted the coordinator and the joint coordinator have to convene the meeting jointly as per the party’s norms.
The Supreme Court permitted Palaniswami’s faction to convene the meeting in July to end the dual leadership even as Panneerselvam wanted it to continue.
Panneerselvam served as the chief minister thrice when Jayalalithaa was forced to step down because of the disproportionate assets case she faced. He was elevated as the chief minister for the third time in 2016 when Jayalalithaa passed away. Jayalalithaa’s aide, VK Sasikala, briefly took over the party and replaced him with Palaniswami.
Panneerselvam and Palaniswami joined hands and expelled Sasikala when she was jailed in a disproportionate assets case. Palaniswami consolidated his position within the party during his term as chief minister until 2021. OPS has also been accused of going soft Sasikala.
AIADMK stalwarts MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa have held the position of the party’s general secretary.
