EPS faction seeks police protection for AIADMK general council meeting on Monday

Chennai, July 9

The Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) faction of the AIADMK has sought police protection for the party General Council meeting scheduled to be held from 9.15 a.m. on Monday.

AIADMK organising secretary and former Minister D. Jayakumar told IANS that they have sought police protection at the meeting hall in Vanagram following reports of anti-social elements reaching the venue to create a ruckus at the hall.

Asked whether the meeting would take place as the Madras High Court (HC) is yet to pronounce its judgment in the petition filed by O. Panneerselvam (OPS) faction for staying the meeting, Jayakumar said that the court would give a positive verdict and that by Monday 9 a.m, the court will pronounce the verdict.

There is an intense power struggle within the opposition AIADMK between the factions led by Panneerselvam and Palaniswami over control of the party.

While OPS faction is outnumbered in the party, the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is taking recourse in legal battles and his supporters have filed multiple complaints in Madras HC citing the party by-law against the conduct of the General Council.

The faction led by OPS wants to continue the status quo of AIADMK Coordinator and Co-Coordinator while the EPS faction wants single leadership within the AIADMK and revert to the old Jayalalithaa and M.G. Ramachandran's days of General Secretary ruling the party.

The EPS faction has a major support base among the General Council members with nearly all the second-rung leaders throwing their weight behind Palaniswami.

Panneerselvam's contention is that the party's primary members can vote for electing the party leadership and that the party by-law has that provision, hence electing a leader by the General Council members does not make sense.

Heated arguments were conducted before the single judge bench, Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy on Friday with both the OPS and EPS accusing each other of trying to control the party.

The judge after hearing arguments from both sides announced that he would pronounce a judgment on Monday.

D. Jayakumar told IANS that the invitation letters to all General Council members of the party have already been sent and that the Council meeting would lead to electing a single leader for the party.