All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Treasurer O Panneerselvam has said that the party meeting called on Monday is in violation of the outfit’s by-laws, reported ANI.
Pannerselvam said that party meetings can only be convened with the approval of both the coordinator and co-coordinator.
The statement came amid a power tussle in the AIADMK between Panneerselvam, who is the coordinator of the party, and Edappadi K Palaniswami, the co-coordinator and former Tamil Nadu chief minister.
The faction led by Palaniswami wants the party to get rid of the dual leadership. However, the Panneerselvam-led camp has opposed the idea, saying it would amount to a betrayal of late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
The two positions were created during the general council meeting on September 12, 2017, after the party gave the honorary title of “eternal general secretary” to Jayalalithaa.
At a party meeting on June 23, AIADMK members had raised slogans demanding “single leadership” within the party under Palaniswami. Monday’s meeting comes amid speculation that Panneerselvam would be stripped off his party positions, according to NDTV.
In a statement posted on Twitter on Sunday, Panneerselvam said that holding the meeting would be in violation of party laws since he is the coordinator of the outfit and has not given his permission.
“I would like to inform all the party workers that if any decision is taken at the above meeting convened outside the party legal framework it will not in any way restrict the party who are under the administration of the party coordinator and the party co-coordinator,” he said.
Panneerselvam added that Tamil Nadu residents and party cadres would punish those who were behind the “web of conspiracy” and responsible for the “extraordinary situation” within the party, reported The Quint.
Palaniswami’s purported plan to become the single leader of the AIADMK did not materialise after the Madras High Court had said that no new resolution on change in the party’s top leadership can be taken during the party’s general council meeting on June 23.
A special division bench of Justices M Duraiswamy and Sundar Mohan had ruled that while the June 23 meeting can take place as scheduled, only the 23 resolutions decided by the party can be discussed and adopted.
All the 23 approved resolutions, however, were rejected during the meeting.
The general council meeting will now be held on July 11.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!