Chennai: The AIADMK General Council meeting on Monday expelled rival leader O Panneerselvam from the party’s primary membership and the post of treasurer, but the defiant leader said that his rival Edappadi K Palaniswami has no right to show him the door and he has ‘followed’ the latter. Declaration of expulsion. from party.
A special resolution moved by senior leader Natham R Viswanathan to remove Panneerslavam and his supporters was unanimously accepted at a meeting held at a marriage hall here amid thunderous applause from members of the General Council.
The resolution accused Panneerselvam of favoring the DMK regime and having links with ruling party leaders and working to weaken the AIADMK. The AIADMK alleged that Panneerselvam worked for his selfish reasons.
The party expelled Panneerselvam from the post of treasurer and primary membership. It also expelled his supporters, R Vaithilingam, PH Manoj Pandian – both MLAs – and former MLA JCD Prabhakar.
In response, Panneerselvam said that he was chosen as the coordinator by “1.5 crore” party workers and that neither Palaniswami nor any other leader, KP Munusamy, had the right to expel him.
Panneerselvam condemned his expulsion as “unilateral” and against party rules, saying, “I expel him from the primary membership of AIADMK.”
Responding to questions from reporters about the further course of action, he said he would approach the courts to seek the support of party workers and secure justice.