After Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK has been following a dual leadership since 2016. (file)
Chennai:
Ahead of the general council meeting on Monday, Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) camp of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) held discussions at his residence in Tamil Nadu.
AIADMK Presidium President Tamil Magan Hussain announced on 23 June that he had decided to hold the next General Council meeting of the AIADMK (after the one held on 23 June) on 11 July at 9.15 am.
After all 23 proposals of the members of the General Committee were rejected, supporters of O Panneerselvam – who want a dual leadership pattern in the party – staged a walkout from the meeting.
AIADMK deputy coordinator KP Munusamy said, “All the members rejected all the 23 proposals and the only demand of the general committee members is on single leadership. Everyone will be adopted.” Told.
He further said that whenever the next General Council meeting is held, all 23 resolutions and one leadership resolution will be passed.
Former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, former deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and other party leaders were also present in the June 23 meeting.
After Jayalalithaa’s demise in 2016, the party has been following a dual leadership formula with EPS as co-coordinator and OPS coordinator.
Palaniswami favors single leadership in the party and his camp was eager to pass a resolution in the said regard during the June 23 meeting, while Mr. Panneerselvam claimed that the general body cannot pass a resolution without his signature as per the party Is. bye-laws
The voices for a single leadership in the party intensified after the district secretary’s meeting on June 14. Both the factions held several rounds of talks to resolve the issue but were unsuccessful. The OPS had also written a letter to the EPS seeking postponement of the general body meeting citing a “confused situation” in the party, which was rejected by the AIADMK co-coordinator.
As compared to the OPS, the EPS enjoys the support of a larger number of party legislators and district secretaries.
Amidst all this drama, longtime Ops loyalists also joined the EPS camp. On Tuesday, Tiruvallur district secretary Alexander and Puducherry state secretary Anbalagan extended their support to the EPS.
Amid a tussle between the OPS and the EPS over the single leadership issue in the AIADMK, the former had a “personal meeting” with his supporters and district secretaries at the party office here.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)