The Madras High Court today rejected expelled leader O Panneerselvan’s (OPS) challenge against AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami’s elevation to the party’s powerful General Secretary post, putting an end to a months-long spat between the two feuding top leaders of the AIADMK. Celebrations started at the party’s headquarters as soon as the party formally introduced EPS as its General Secretary.
Team OPS, which had criticised Edappadi K. Palaniswami for submitting his name for consideration for the party’s top position, has now appealed to a two-judge court.
A series of petitions challenging Edappadi Palaniswami, commonly known as EPS, being appointed as the interim general secretary of the AIADMK by the party’s general council in July of last year were being heard in court.
The Madras High Court will rule on the legality of the resolutions passed during the general council, as well as any changes to the party bylaws, after the Supreme Court last month gave its approval for EPS to continue serving as the interim chief.
The highest office in the organisation is chosen by main members in a ballot that must be held once every five years. Afterwards, only the General Secretary chosen by the membership can hold organisational elections and select functionaries.
“The election to the top post will be held only after the completion of these processes. There is no due process, and they want to hold the election for the general secretary post like a pickpocket doing away (with one’s purse). Is this acceptable?” OPS asked.
On July 11, 2022, the top decision-making body of the AIADMK, the general council, ousted OPS and his supporters for alleged anti-party conduct.
When late party chief J Jayalalithaa was alive, OPS was regarded as her political heir, whereas EPS had the support of the majority of party members.
When Jayalalithaa was forced to resign after being found guilty, she twice personally selected OPS to serve as her acting chief minister. OPS was promoted a third time right before Jayalalithaa passed away, but after he revolted against her, her assistant VK Sasikala, who briefly assumed control of the party, replaced him with EPS.
In a stunning political turn, both leaders reconciled and ousted Sasikala while she was incarcerated. OPS rose to the top of the party, with EPS serving as his deputy. OPS was appointed Chief Minister EPS’s deputy in the administration.
After a string of election defeats, EPS declared that the model was ineffective, while OPS frantically petitioned the courts to keep control of the party.
Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK has lost four elections in a row under the dual leadership arrangement, including the most recent by-election in Erode (East), when EVKS Elangovan of the Congress defeated Mr. Palaniswami’s choice, KS Thennarasu, by more than 66,000 votes.
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