Chennai: Tamil Nadu police did not entertain a petition filed by the AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam to deny permission for the party general council and executive council meetings to be held on June 23.
The former Chief Minister had in a petition to the Avadi police commissioner said that serious law and order situation may take place in the matter of single leadership during the AIADMK meet on June 23 and hence permission must not be granted for the general and executive council meet.
Police, according to sources in Avadi Police commissionorate, told the AIADMK leader that this was beyond the scope of the police and that the meeting was being held indoors.
Officers at the Avadi commissionorate said that it was for the party to decide whether to conduct the meeting or not and that the police do not have any role in it. A senior police officer told IANS that the police would provide security to the meeting if it takes place in accordance with the Madras High Court directive on the same.
OPS had in the petition to the Avadi commissioner on Tuesday said that the party office-bearer P. Benjamin seeking police protection for the meeting was a unilateral decision. He said that only he or the opposition leader K. Palaniswami is empowered to take such a decision.
A bitter turf war is taking place in the AIADMK between the factions of OPS and EPS with those close to the latter trying to take over the party with EPS as the AIADMK general secretary and sole leader instead of the present dual leadership of Coordinator (OPS) and joint coordinator (EPS). This has been opposed by those close to OPS but the ground reality is totally in favour of EPS and hence OPS and his faction is trying to scuttle it.
–IANS