Chennai: The internal fight within Tamil Nadu’s opposition AIADMK has escalated, with deposed party leader and former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam appointing office bearers in various districts of the state.
Panneerselvam, who still lay claim to being the party Coordinator, has appointed more than 500 office bearers in various districts of the state.
The AIADMK, in its general body meeting held on July 11, had expelled Panneerselvam and his associates from the primary membership of the party. His bitter opponent and former party Co-Coordinator, K. Palaniswami was appointed as the party’s interim General Secretary then.
After his expulsion from the party, Panneerselvam moved the Madras High Court with the single judge bench suspending the appointment of the new office-bearers and staying the expulsion of him and his associates.
However, the division bench vacated the stay and directed to maintain the status quo of the July 11 party general council meeting which had expelled Panneerselvam.
The Panneerselvam faction moved Supreme Court which stayed the proceedings and ruled that no elections be carried out in the AIADMK till it hears the matter of the tussle between the two warring factions on November 21.
With Panneerselvam announcing the new appointments, the AIADMK official faction led by Palaniswami has come up in arms against the decision.
A senior AIADMK leader told IANS: “The Supreme Court is to hear the tussle between the two leaders on November 21… what was the hurry for announcing the posting of new office bearers.”
Another senior AIADMK leader aligned to the official faction told IANS: “I am not coming out in the open as the case is being heard in the Supreme Court on November 21, and OPS appointing new office bearers is not good given that the case regarding elections to the interim General Secretary is being heard by the Supreme Court and Palaniwami has told the court that there would not be any elections till it gives a verdict.”
–IANS
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