Big win for OPS: Court orders status quo

The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered to conduct a fresh General Council Meeting of the AIADMK party and ordered the status quo as on June 23 in the affairs of the party. The direction makes the former chief minister O Panneerselvam back as the coordinator of the AIADMK.

The bench of Justice G Jayachandran thus allowed a plea moved by former Tamil Nadu CM O Paneerselvam challenging his expulsion from the party and the General Council meeting of the AIADMK party that was conducted on July 11. Another General Council member P Vairamuthu had also approached the court challenging the General Council meeting. 

Justice G Jayachandran also made it clear that the general council meeting can only be convened jointly by the coordinator and joint coordinator of the party.

The direction in turn makes the July 11 general council in which Edappadi K Palaniswami was made as interim general secretary of the party invalid and the decision to abolish the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator taken in the July 11 general council meeting also stands cancelled. 

According to OPS, in the July 11 general council meeting, an attempt was made to make the decision of the general council as the will of the entire party. It was further contended that the presidium chairman can only conduct a general council meeting and not convene it. 

As per the bylaws of the party, only a general secretary or coordinator and joint coordinator can convene the general council, he added. 

On the other hand, EPS contended that the amendments passed by the executive committee on December 1, 2021, for election of coordinator and joint coordinator had been rendered ineffective as it could not be endorsed by the general council. 

The general council does not require the approval of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to amend the bylaws of the party, he said.

During the General Council meeting, a resolution was passed for the expulsion of OPS from the primary membership of the party and from his post as the Treasurer. Following this, Edappadi Palaniswami was elected as the party's interim General Secretary. 

Violent protests broke out resulting in clashes between the two groups of OPS and EPS. As a result, the party headquarters was sealed by the Revenue Divisional Officer. 

A single bench recently directed RDO to hand over the keys to the new incumbent interim General Secretary and also directed the police to provide necessary security and ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

We will not reconcile with OPS, says former Minister Jayakumar

Former AIADMK Minister D Jayakumar on Wednesday said that they will not reconcile with O Panneerselvam. Speaking to reporters, after the judgement, Jayakumar said, "The party has elected Edappadi K Palaniswami as per the party by-laws. 

We have placed right arguments before the court. Now, after the judgement was pronounced, it is not right to criticise it. We will take the next course of action after discussing it with experts." 

When asked whether they will reconcile with OPS, he said, "OPS has zero support in the party as about 95% of cadres accepted EPS as the leader. We cannot say the next course of action now."