The AIADMK (The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) on Tuesday replaced expelled deputy leader in state assembly, O Panneerselvam (OPS), with RB Udhayakumar, who like OPS is also from Thevar community dominant in south Tamil Nadu.
OPS was expelled at the party’s general council meeting on July 11 in which Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) was announced as the interim general secretary, making him the highest decision-making person in the party.
Udhayakumar, representing the Tirumangalam assembly constituency in Madurai district, was unanimously elected as the deputy leader during the party’s legislator meeting held on July 17 in Chennai, said a statement from EPS on Tuesday.
Former minister and MLA from Polur constituency (Tiruvannamalai district) Agri SS Krishnamurthy, was chosen as deputy secretary of the legislature party replacing Manoj H Pandian who was also expelled for supporting OPS.
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OPS continues to maintain that no one has the power to expel him as AIADMK’s coordinator.
{{/usCountry}}OPS continues to maintain that no one has the power to expel him as AIADMK’s coordinator.
{{/usCountry}}In the political slugfest, the duo has involved police, Election Commission of India and the Madras high court and Supreme Court.
For now, EPS has the support of the party and the court.
OPS is challenging the proceedings of the July 11 general council meeting which expelled him and chose EPS as interim general secretary. More expulsions of those supporting OPS continued while EPS kept rewarding those who supported him with posts.
Udhayakumar who was minister for revenue and disaster in the previous AIADMK government, is one of EPS’ key supporters.
Udhayakumar, like the majority of the party, wanted the dual leadership of OPS-EPS as coordinator and joint coordinator to be abolished and make way for a single leadership. It is significant that EPS has chosen Udhayakumar who belongs to the Thevar community–the same as OPS–so that the party doesn’t see differences along caste-lines since EPS belongs to the Gounder community.
Udhayakumar is known for his public display of loyalty. He is devoted to party founder MG Ramachandran and his successor J Jayalalithaa for whom he constructed a temple with their life-size statues in his constituency in Madurai district.
In January 2021, three months ahead of the assembly elections, both EPS and OPS had jointly inaugurated Udhyakumar’s temple in a festival-like event.
Weighing 400kgs, the 7-feet tall life-size bronze statues of the former chief ministers had been installed.
Named, “Bharata Ratna Puratchithalaivar MGR, Tamizhar Kulasami Amma Thirukovil”, it is built on a 12-acre site near Thirumangalam.
Udhayakumar has revered Jayalalithaa as God even when she was alive. He remained in the limelight for not wearing footwear inside the state secretariat.
In an interview in 2011, when he was the technology minister, he had reasoned that he cannot wear footwear and walk the path she has.
“Because…Amma is my God,” he had said.
When Jayalalithaa got to know of this bizarre behaviour, she ordered Udhayakumar to wear footwear and he obeyed.
“Like the soul of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (revolutionary leader Jayalalithaa), like the heart of God, I have been given this position,” Udhayakumar told reporters in reaction to his elevation.
“I will not simply thank everyone but show my gratitude in action. In the coming days, under brother Edappadi’s leadership, we will take up issues under the DMK government which are against the welfare of the people.”
EPS’ key associate who is AIADMK’s new headquarters secretary went to the chamber of Tamil Nadu Speaker M Appavu in Chennai on Tuesday to submit a letter noting these changes they have made to the party’s assembly composition.
The speaker was however, at an event in Tirunelveli district.
“Only when I go back to Chennai will I be reading the letter,” said Appavu who confirmed that OPS also wrote to him last week.
On July 12, in a preemptive move OPS wrote to the speaker telling him not to change the composition of the AIADMK in the assembly based on anyone writing to him.
“Both letters will be considered. What I can say for sure is that this government will take a decision which is democratic, just and abides by law and there will be no bias. According to me there are 66 MLAs in the house representing the two leaves (AIADMK’s symbol). The rest is their internal party matter and we will not interfere.”