OPS Urges ECI Not To Accept Resolutions Adopted at AIADMK General Council Meet

In his letter to the ECI, OPS asserted that he continued to be the coordinator and treasurer of the AIADMK.

Terming the 11 July general council meeting of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) "illegal," expelled party leader O Panneerselvam on Wednesday, 13 July, lodged a complaint with Chief Election Commissioner of India (ECI) Rajiv Kumar and urged him not to accept the decisions or act on the resolutions adopted at the meeting.

Amid the infighting in the AIADMK, former chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy (EPS) was elected as the interim general secretary of the party on Monday, 11 July, after it revived the post of general secretary and terminated dual leadership.

Soon after the announcement, the executive council members passed a resolution, expelling OPS and his supporters from the party.

In his letter to the ECI, written on the AIADMK letterhead, OPS asserted that he still continued to be the party coordinator and treasurer of the AIADMK.

EPS-OPS Tussle Continues

"Steps are under contemplation to initiate further appeals before the division bench of the Madras High Court challenging the order of the single judge on 11 July as well as before the Supreme Court," OPS said in his letter.

"Even as of today, I and the joint coordinator are the only authorised persons to sign the necessary forms for getting the Two Leaves symbol as per the records maintained by the ECI," he added.

Former chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy had written a letter to the ECI, informing the constitutional body about the decisions taken at the 11 July general council meeting.

OPS also approached Assembly speaker M Appavu, urging him not to entertain pleas to change office bearers of the AIADMK legislature party.

Both EPS and OPS moved the Madras High Court, seeking directions for the handover of the party headquarters to them. Stating that it is a "disputed property," revenue officials on 11 July sealed the AIADMK headquarters after clashes broke out between EPS and OPS cadres over the ousting of OPS.

After EPS named Dindigul Sreenivasan as the party's new treasurer, the two leaders also approached banks claiming that they had the right to operate the accounts.

In a letter to bank authorities, written on AIADMK letterhead, OPS said: "I request you (bank authorities) not to operate the aforesaid accounts by Dindigul Sreenivasan or any other person authorised by him. In spite of this, if you allow any person other than me to operate the accounts in the name of AIADMK, you will be held responsible for any misuse or misappropriation of accounts."

'I Should Be Made Head of AIADMK': VK Sasikala

Meanwhile, ex-interim general secretary of the AIADMK, VK Sasikala, who was a close aide of late former chief minister J Jayalalitha on Tuesday, 12 June, said that she should be made the head of the party.

Speaking to reporters in Pudukottai during her tour across Tamil Nadu to garner support for her re-entry into politics, she also said that the post of interim general secretary created by EPS was in violation of party rules. Party cadres should give a befitting response to this invalid act, she said, adding that EPS did not have the authority to expel OPS when his own post was not valid.

Sasikala said the general council meeting held on 11 July was invalid as "it was convened arbitrarily by people with selfish motives. The wish of the party cadres is that I become the General Secretary and only someone chosen by the cadres can become the party General Secretary."

During Jayalalitha's tenure, she said the financial statements of the party would be read by the party treasurer but in the meeting held on 11 July, party treasurer OPS was not the one who read out those statements. "This is another reason why I'm calling the meet invalid," she said.

Stating that people in Tamil Nadu and party cadre are pained by the sealing of the party headquarters, she said that EPS would have to respond to them in the coming days.

(With inputs from IANS.)