Expulsion game continues in AIADMK as EPS sacks rival faction leaders
India Today
After Palaniswami was elevated to the position of AIADMK interim general secretary, he sacked 39 members of the 'rival faction' led by Panneerselvam. In a tit-for-tat move, OPS has sacked 66 members from the EPS camp.
A few hours after ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam 'expelled' 44 partymen supporting interim general secretary E Palaniswami, EPS hit back on Friday by sacking 21 rival faction leaders.
As of now, 39 people, including OPS' two sons and his 16 other supporters have been expelled from the party. Raveendranath, AIADMK's Lok Sabha MP from Theni constituency, and Jeyapradeep, both of whom are sons of OPS and a former Minister, Vellamandi N Natarajan, were expelled. Natarajan is the Tiruchirappalli-based party strongman who sided with Panneerselvam.
In a tit-for-tat action, Panneerselvam, as coordinator of the party (a post which the party claims does not exist anymore after the elevation of EPS) announced the 'expulsion' of 66 prominent leaders from the Palaniswami camp.
Among the names mentioned in the statement issued by Panneerselvam were that of Palaniswami and KP Munusamy, both of whom OPS had expelled on July 11. Former minister Munusamy was once a close aide of OPS.
The AIADMK General Council, the party's highest decision-making body, had on Monday elected EPS as its interim General Secretary and expelled Panneerselvam and his supporters.
EPS has accused OPS of colluding with DMK, storming party HQ and taking away documents with the help of state police.
"OPS took away party belongings from the office, in league with the DMK government. Several workers were injured protecting the party HQ from anti-social elements," he said.
