Is single leadership possible in AIADMK?

The demand for switching to single leadership gaining strength in AIADMK senior journalists and political observers opine that it is not possible.
After the demise of Jayalalithaa the AIADMK General Secretary, her aide, V.K Sasikala  was elected as the party's General Secretary. When Sasikala went to jail in the disproportionate wealth case, the General Council of the AIADMK in its meeting in December 2017, the General Secretary post was abolished the powers of the post was vested on the Organisor post making due changes in the party bylaws.

O.Pannerselvam was selected as the Organisor and Edappadi K Palanisamy was selected as the Deputy Organisor. But power struggle between the two persisted. In due course some party leaders are insisting on having a single leadership so as to lead the party according to the changing times.

However political observers state that the AIADMK's travel towards single leadership is not that easy. Another section of the party leaders propose that joint leadership is the need of the hour. Few months back the AIADMK party election was held and the result was approved by the Election Commission. Hence to go back to single leadership will entail changes in AIADMK's bylaws.

2 Besides abolishing the post of Organisor by bringing in changes in the bylaws, approval has to be obtained from the Election Commission. Moreover a strong view is emerging that since the party name and symbol are with O.Panneerselvam's faction, single leadership is impossible in the present scenario.

It is also being said that the General Secretary post was carved out for Jayalalithaa fitting her stature. The post is exclusively created for her through a resolution. Giving the post to another person would deem to be a betrayal of Jayalalithaa says O.Paneerselvam speaking strongly against the demand for single leadership. Stating that the dual leadership arrangement is working well for the party, he has also said that to switch to single party leadership his concurrence would be necessary otherwise such a change will be legally invalid. His strong reaction to the single leadership demand is seen as warning to Edappadi K Palanisamy.

But  Edappadi K Palanisamy' camp's irreconcilable stance has stirred a heightened leadership struggle within the AIADMK.It is to decide the fate of the AIADMK party the General Council and Executive Committee are meeting on June 23. All attention is now turned on how the leadership question will be resolved.