The AIADMK infighting between O Panneerselvam (OPS) and ex-Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) spilled over onto the streets on Monday, with their supporters engaging in a violent brawl outside the party headquarters. The fight broke out ahead of the party’s general council meeting held to decide the future leadership structure of the party. However, despite the brawl, Edappadi K Palaniswami has been appointed as the interim general secretary of AIADMK following today’s meeting.
According to reports, O Panneerselvam supporters also hit E Palaniswami’s photo with slippers. Later, Panneerselvam greeted his supporters from a portico and also waved the party flag. His supporters raised “Ayya OPS vazhga” (hail OPS sir) slogans.
Visuals also showed members of both factions hurling stones at each other. Reportedly, some people also damaged vehicles parked nearby. Posters and banners were also burnt during the ruckus outside the party HQ.
The members from both factions also engaged in a fist fight and attacked each other with sticks.
Owing to the clashes, the AIADMK office had been locked, but rowdy members of both factions broke open the locked doors and made their way into the party headquarters and created a ruckus.
Ex-Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami elected as the party’s interim general secretary
Meanwhile, according to reports, during the party’s council meeting held today morning, Edappadi K Palaniswami was appointed as the interim general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), thus ending the dual leadership in the party. The announcement came as the General Council passed resolutions to reinstate the position of general secretary and to guarantee that the party’s primary members choose a candidate for the position. The election will be held 4 months from now.
Further, during the meeting, it was decided that the posts of the coordinator and joint coordinator would be terminated and a Deputy General Secretary post would be created, who will be selected by the party’s General Secretary.
The AIADMK infighting
For months on end, the two former chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and his predecessor O Panneerselvam (OPS) were locked in an intense tussle for the sole leadership of AIADMK. While OPS has been pushing for the current joint leadership model to continue, EPS had been keen for single leadership with himself as the party General Secretary.
Recently, O Panneerselvam had moved the Madras High Court to stall the crucial General Council meeting of the party that was held today to decide on the fate of the party leadership. The Madras High Court, however, refused to stall the AIADMK general council meeting in Chennai on Monday, July 11.
It may be noted that when AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa passed away in December 2016, EPS and OPS decided to share party leadership. While there had been differences between the two leaders, the arrangement worked well until the AIADMK’s rule ended in April 2021.
After a string of election defeats, EPS declared that the model was ineffective, while OPS frantically petitioned the courts to retain power over the party.
On Wednesday, however, the Supreme Court gave EPS and his team permission to convene the meeting in accordance with the law.