Both AIADMK camps are anxious ahead of HC judgment today

Green signal from court means the party will return to unitary leadership after five years

With Justice Krishnan Ramasamy of the Madras High Court set to deliver his verdict at 9 a.m. on Monday on the validity of the AIADMK general council meeting scheduled to begin at 9.15 a.m. at a private wedding hall at Vanagaram, Chennai, the camps led by warring leaders Edappadi K. Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam spent anxious moments on Sunday.

Mr. Panneerselvam, who is hopelessly outnumbered in the general council as was evident from the June 23 meeting, has challenged the event convened by the party headquarters office-bearers. Mr. Palaniswami is hoping that his bid to become the supreme leader by throwing out the dual leadership would fructify at least on Monday. Both camps remained busy through the day, preparing to face the outcome of the legal battle.

Should the court give the green signal for the meeting without conditions, the general council is expected to create the post of interim general secretary and Mr. Palaniswami is likely to be elected to the post, marking the revival of the unitary leadership after five years.

Senior leaders backing Mr. Palaniswami visited the venue on Sunday to review the arrangements. Over 2,500 delegates are expected to attend the meeting. Arrangements have been made to allow members of the party’s general and executive councils into the venue only after checking their radio-frequency identification (RFID) cards.

After last month’s general council meeting, former Minister C. Ve. Shanmugam accused party colleague R. Vaithilingam (a strong supporter of Mr. Panneerselvam) of using Mr. Panneerselvam’s vehicle to enter the venue instead of joining other delegates.

Unlike the last general council meeting at which banners and posters, featuring late leaders M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, besides Mr. Palaniswami and Mr. Panneerselvam, were displayed, the banners put up this time at the venue as well as near M.G.R. Maaligai, the party’s head office on Avvai Shanmugam Salai in the city, avoided Mr. Panneerselvam.