Chennai: The Supreme Court allowed his rival Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) to continue as the chief of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) The ousted party coordinator O. A major setback for Panneerselvam, while his supporters say the legal battle is far from over.
political analyst Panneerselvam may have no option but to join hands with expelled party leaders VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran or float his own party. Following the court’s decision, EPS announced that the “chapter is over” of OPS.
In a press meet on Friday, the OPS said that their camp would reach out to those seeking justice. “AIADMK was founded by MGR as a cadre movement and we are fighting to preserve the ideals of MGR and Jayalalithaa,” he said.
Team OPS said that they are hopeful that the Madras High Court will give them a favorable order on the issue of the proposals. He said that to make the AIADMK bylaws valid, both the leaders need to sign it.
Panneerselvam and Palaniswami in December 2021 were Elected unopposed as AIADMK coordinator and joint-coordinator respectively. but in On July 11, 2022, the AIADMK General Council (GC) elected EPS as its leader and expelled OPS and his associates.
“The main civil suit is still pending in the Madras High Court. Only the GC meeting was approved (by the apex court). It has not given its verdict on whether the resolutions passed are valid or not. if two terms , Coordinator and Joint Coordinator (held by OPS and EPS respectively) , Whether lapsed or not, these details need to be answered.
“Had the court upholding the validity of the GC meeting also approved the proposals, there would have been no legal battle in OPS. But now the scenario is different.”
Refuting the claims of the rival faction, former MLA RM Babu Murugavel, legal wing secretary of the AIADMK EPS faction, told ThePrint that Thursday’s decision was very clear. ,The legality of the meeting itself means that everything in the meeting will also be legally binding.
“The case of VK Sasikala, who claims to be the general secretary of the party, is still pending. Likewise, the claims of the OPS faction are mere survival tactics. But these matters will have no effect on the AIADMK.
The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a Madras High Court order following a batch of cases regarding changes in party rules during the AIADMK General Council meeting in July.
“In the interest of justice, we leave all relevant aspects relating to the said proposals open to agitation, but strictly in accordance with law; And all the objections and rebuttals of the contesting parties are also kept open,” it said,
limited options for ops
Political analysts ThePrint spoke to believe the verdict could be seen as the end of the road for the three-time CM OPS and former party chief J. Jayalalithaa’s trusted lieutenant has limited options going forward.
OPS in AIADMK has become unstable. His options are limited. There is no last word in politics but overall it seems that the OPS chapter is over. It’s an endgame for OPS, can’t be denied.
Senior political observer GC Sekhar said, “Joining hands with Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran and becoming the leader of the Thevar (a community in central and southern district of Tamil Nadu) caste is an option for OPS.”
Since Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, the AIADMK has seen several power struggles and divisions within the party, the latest of which is the Supreme Court verdict.
Palanisamy after the verdict Said That the masks of those who ruined the party have come off. “The opposition is making a lot of noise that the AIADMK has split into four groups, that our party has no future. The Supreme Court’s decision has put an end to it.”
Former Health Minister and Party MLA C. Vijayabaskar told ThePrint, “The judgment is very clear. SC has given full approval to the GC meeting. In the GC, the OPS and their supporters were removed and hence are not even primary members of the party.
Describing the verdict as historic, he said that the morale and energy of the party workers has been boosted by the verdict. He said, ‘There is no question of a split in the AIADMK now. The party is 200 per cent united under EPS and most of the GC members are with us. More MLAs and District Secretaries are with us (compared to OPS faction) And we will soon return to power.”
Critics say that the OPS did not strengthen its position within the party. “He can play the caste card. His options are very limited. He failed to make use of the office of Chief Minister that was assigned to him thrice – twice during Jayalalithaa’s lifetime and once after her death. The person sitting on the chief minister’s chair even for a day will strengthen his position. He was the CM thrice in a span of 14 years. He occupied the chair for more than 300 days. But he failed to consolidate his position. Meanwhile, EPS has consolidated its position beautifully. OPS can only be a second role in any political system,” Mani said.
He said that even before the court’s decision, the base of the AIADMK cadre was with the EPS. “The decision has given a formal shape to the political victory that the EPS achieved seven months ago (at the GC meeting).”
Future of AIADMK-BJP
recently, EPS announced That the AIADMK will continue its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Modi likes those who emerge victorious. Now, the BJP will deal with the EPS,” Mani said.
Shekhar agreed. “The BJP will always try to hold talks with the more powerful faction – which is the AIADMK under the EPS. BJP will do business with them. OPS supporters may slowly fade away.
“Ops has not been a strong leader. EPS may not be a charismatic leader, but he has a better grip on the party and the system. While EPS is a logical leader, OPS is an emotional leader,” said Shekhar.
On Friday, on Jayalalithaa’s 75th birth anniversary, the EPS went to the AIADMK headquarters to unfurl the party flag, while the OPS paid floral tributes at the Amma memorial.
legal battle A GC meeting was called between the rival factions in June last year amid a strong anti-OPS wave and speculation that the AIADMK may go back to a single leadership from dual leadership since Jayalalithaa’s demise.
While the meeting was called by the EPS faction, the OPS managed to get a court order that no undeclared resolution was allowed. The OPS group was seen being sidelined in the meeting. On 23 June the GC sought another meeting of the GC on 11 July to decide on the issue of single leadership and the then newly elected Presidium Chairman Tamilmagan Hossain approved the request of a majority of the GC members.
eps was on 11th july Elected As AIADMK interim general secretary by 2,460 out of 2,665 members. It was also decided to remove the OPS and their supporters from the primary membership of the party. This set the ball rolling for a legal battle between the two factions.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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