On the day of the key GC meeting, fighting broke out between supporters of the factions commanded by EPS and OPS, prompting the TN revenue department to close the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah.
- K Palaniswami, the head of the AIADMK, was elected as the party’s temporary general secretary on Monday and given full authority to govern the organization.
- While OPS, a rival leader, and some of his most important backers were forced out. In a scathing assault on OPS, the 68-year-old Palaniswami called the man “selfish” and said that the former party coordinator planned this attack on the AIADMK headquarters in connivance with the local DMK.
- The DMK denied the allegations and said that they had nothing to do with the internal issues of the opposition party.
- The AIADMK supported eliminating the former top two roles of Coordinator and Joint Coordinator held by OPS and Palaniswami (EPS), respectively, at its Executive Committee and General Council meetings held here.
The party has also officially decided to organize organizational elections to choose the General Secretary in four months. It has changed a number of rules, adding new requirements and standards to compete for the top party position of general secretary. 16 resolutions in all were approved. Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, a senior politician, took up Panneerselvam’s position as treasurer.
Intriguingly, Jayalalithaa served as the party’s influential general secretary for decades. After the former’s passing in December 2016, her close friend VK Sasikala served as acting general secretary for a short time. Sasikala was fired from her position in 2017 by a former AIADMK general secretary after she was eventually found guilty and jailed in a case involving excessive assets.
Palaniswami said in his statement at the party meeting that the unitary leadership was a result of the party’s workers and members’ wishes, despite the fact that “we were forced to safeguard” AIADMK with such a move.
During the early phases of the problem, he alleged, senior authorities often visited with OPS and warned him that “anyone may come to the top job and the unified leadership is essential.” “People and employees wanted that, and (they) begged for his permission. I am aware of the great suffering we endured under dual leadership; we can only regain power by acting in accordance with popular demand. There were several conversations with him (Panneerselvam), “added he.
Palaniswami asserted that Panneerselvam was also connected to the DMK. Later, in a press conference, he described OPS as being “selfish.” The former Chief Minister made reference to the violence at the party headquarters, which resulted in several injuries, including some police officers. He said Panneerselvam planned the attack in coordination with the DMK.
“The attack was jointly planned by a former coordinator (OPS) with relations to (the DMK), which is highly condemned. I have stated that the state’s law and the order have worsened, and it is now shown. What about the average person, if this is the scenario with the AIADMK, which dominated the state for 31 years? “After paying a visit to the wounded party members at a local government hospital, he remarked.
He said that the governing party and “betrayer OPS” were behind the violence, which was planned by the DMK in cooperation with “betrayers to kill off AIADMK.” Panneerselvam, according to EPS, “has never done anything beneficial for anyone. He is greedy. He does not want anyone to gain something that he did not get.”
He claimed that “rowdies” sent by OPS stoned party workers and inquired whether anyone else would do the same. Under police cover, the ousted leader removed “party records” from the workplace and inquired whether the AIADMK headquarters belonged to him.
The Leader of Opposition stated that the party will file a court petition about the government’s decision to shut the AIADMK headquarters and that AIADMK would return with renewed vigor.
Senior DMK leader RS Bharathi responded to the happenings by dismissing Palaniswami’s accusations against his party and insisting they had nothing to do with the AIADMK’s disputes. He also rejected Palaniswami’s claim that the police were ineffective, stating they responded quickly and took all necessary measures to protect law and order.
