Palaniswami elected AIADMK interim general secretary; Panneerselvam expelled

Panneerselvam says he will fight it out legally

Vanagaram near Chennai, which played host five years ago to a unity meet of two camps of the AIADMK led by former Chief Ministers Edappadi K Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam,  on Monday witnessed the expulsion of Mr Panneerselvam, three-time former Chief Minister, till recently coordinator and treasurer, from the organisation, and the election of Mr Palaniswami as interim general secretary. 

At the general council of the AIADMK in Vanagaram, a resolution was adopted, abolishing the posts of coordinator and co-coordinator, on the ground that the posts had “ceased to exist” as the election,  which took place in December 2021, [re-appointing Mr  Panneerselvam and Mr Palaniswami coordinator and co-coordinator respectively] was “not ratified” at the general council held on June 23.  By another motion, the party approved the adoption of the system of “single leadership” and  revived the post of general secretary, which was scrapped in September 2017. 

Three of his associates, two legislators, R. Vaithilingam and Manoj Pandian, and the party spokesperson, J.C.D.Prabhakar, were also removed from the party.  Mr Panneerselvam’s expulsion was carried out through a resolution, the text of which was read out by organisation secretary and Dindigul (east) district secretary, Natham R.Viswanathan, who was with the former’s camp five years ago.  As Mr Panneerselvam was also relieved of his position as treasurer, Mr Palaniswami announced that former Minister and Dindigul (west) district secretary, Dindigul C.Sreenivasan, had been appointed for the post. 

Mr Panneerselvam, who did not attend the meeting, claimed he remained the party coordinator and said he will legally face the challenge with the support of the cadres.

The party also decided that the election for the post of general secretary would be held in four months, till which Mr Palaniswami would function as interim general secretary. It accepted several amendments to the bye-laws, most of which centred around Rule 20 and the post of general secretary. 

Mr Palaniswami, who spoke last at the general council, accused Mr Panneerselvam of “hobnobbing” with the ruling DMK and seeking to “destroy” the AIADMK by collaborating with the ruling party. He criticised his former colleague for having attempted to stall the  June 23 general council’s meeting after being one of  the signatories of the  notice for the meeting.   Former Ministers P. Thangamani, Mr Viswanathan, K. P. Munusamy, and Mr Sreenivasan pulled up  Mr Panneerselvam for having let down the party.  Slogans against Mr Panneerselvam were raised during the meeting.   Tamilmagan Hussain chaired the event.

Assuring members of the general council that he would strive for making the AIADMK victorious in the coming Lok Sabha elections,  Mr Palaniswami explained at length how he rose from the ranks, after joining the party in 1974.