Amidst the stalemate over the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) ‘single leadership' issue, party co-coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) and his supporters on Monday, 21 June, asked for the General Council meeting scheduled for 23 June to be postponed.
However, AIADMK’s joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) and his supporters have claimed that the meeting will go as scheduled on 23 June and said that they will move a resolution for single leadership which is caused unrest in the party.
The nearly 2,600-member strong general council of which both EPS and OPS are members is the highest decision-making body in the AIADMK.
In the District Secretary meeting held on 14 June, a debate regarding the need for single leadership by brought up by a section of district secretaries and others.
Restoring General Secretary Post 'Not Possible': OPS
OPS said last week that the proposal to usher in a single leadership by way of restoring the General Secretary post is not possible. He claimed that any move to restore the General Secretary post, last held by late party supremo Jayalalithaa, would be considered a betrayal.
EPS’s supporters are pushing for a unitary leadership of the party under him after disbanding the dual leadership posts which the party approved following the merger of the factions post-J Jayalalithaa's demise.
In an effort to ensure cordiality between the two groups, party senior leader and former minister KA Sengottaiyan held talks with OPS on Saturday, 18 June.
Emphasising the need for unity within the Dravidian party, former State Minister B Valarmathi said that letters signed by both Panneerselvam and Palaniswami were sent to the members to attend the General Council meeting as scheduled, reported PTI.
'Leaders & Cadres Should Remain United'
Responding to a reporter’s question about an imminent split over the leadership crisis, she said,
“A few leaders are publicising their views on leadership. If the party is to survive, the leaders and cadres should remain united.”
Former State Minister D Jayakumar claimed that there was no threat to the party. He said, "It is usual for district secretaries to express their views at the meeting. I merely conveyed to you (media) what was spoken in the party on unitary leadership and have not revealed any secret."
He added that the party will decide on the leadership issue and that the meeting will happen as scheduled.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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