End of dual leadership in AIADMK as EPS appointed interim General Secretary; clashes erupt

Chennai: AIADMK elected Edappadi Palaniswami as its interim General Secretary after the party passed a resolution to quash the dual leadership structure at the General Council meeting in Vanagaram, Tamil Nadu on Monday.

The resolution also mandates that the person for the post is elected by the primary members of the party, the elections for which will be held four months from now.

In the meeting, the AIADMK endorsed scrapping the erstwhile top two positions of Coordinator and Joint Coordinator held by O Panneerselvam and (OPS) Palaniswami, respectively.

#UPDATE | Edappadi Palaniswami elected as AIADMK's interim General Secretary, in the General Council meeting in Vanagaram, TN pic.twitter.com/fhNfhRHrHc

— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2022

In total, 16 resolutions were adopted, one of them also being Bharat Ratna for Periyar, MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalitha.  The meeting, meanwhile, expelled rival leader OPS from the party's primary membership and his post of treasurer but the defiant leader said his rival EPS has no right to show him the door and rather announced the 'expulsion' of the latter from the party. Amid a big round of applause from the General Council members, a special resolution moved by senior leader Natham R Viswanathan to remove OPS and his supporters was adopted unanimously.

General Council expelling me isn't valid...We will take legal action according to law. They don't have the right to remove me: O Panneerselvam

AIADMK passed a resolution at E Palaniswami-led Gen Council meet in Vanagaram, Tamil Nadu, to remove OPS from party's primary membership pic.twitter.com/8pAypJqGii

— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2022

The resolution accused OPS of siding with the DMK regime and having ties with the ruling party leaders and working to weaken the AIADMK. 

Palaniswami announced Dindukal Srinivasan as the new AIADMK treasurer.

In his address, senior leader Natham Viswanathan tore into OPS alleging he had a 'dual face' completely opposite to his reputation as a 'calm person.' Viswanathan, a former Minister said Panneerselvam always said one thing and acted completely against it. The decision to elevate EPS as the interim General Secretary came minutes after the Madras High Court allowed the party to  hold its crucial meet of the General Council to decide the future leadership structure of the party. In a major setback to OPS camp, the high court rejected the plea by OPS seeking to stall the meeting which proposed to revive the post interim General Secretary and abolish coordinator as well as joint coordinator posts. Meanwhile, moments before the high court was to pronounce its order, clashes broke out between Edappady K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam faction outside the AIADMK headquarters.  Also read: AIADMK vs AIADMK: Understanding the political tussle between OPS and EPS  

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Visuals from outside the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai where supporters of party leaders E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam burn posters & banners, ahead of the General Council meeting, today pic.twitter.com/BS00E133Ks — ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2022

TV visuals showed some persons hurling stones at each other and some men damaging vehicles parked nearby. According to reports, as many as 13 people, including two policemen, have suffered injuries in the clash. In another video, the supporters of OPS camp are seen breaking open the door of AIADMK office.

#WATCH Chennai, TN: O Paneerselvam supporters break open the door of AIADMK office, ahead of party's general council meeting being led by E Palaniswami pic.twitter.com/A5wNwpHPgk — ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2022

Soon after the high court verdict, AIADMK leader E Palaniswami reached party office in Vanagaram for the General Council meeting.

Tamil Nadu | AIADMK leader E Palaniswami reaches party office in Vanagaram for the General Council meeting pic.twitter.com/d3nFJmf139 — ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2022

OPS had claimed that the meeting convened by the EPS camp was illegal. He argued only the Coordinator and the Joint Coordinator can convene the meeting as per law and this meeting was called by the newly-appointed Praesidium Chairman, which is technically illegal.

They also pointed out OPS was appointed as the party boss in 2017 adopting the same model.

With inputs from agencies

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