Tamil Nadu: OPS and EPS retained as AIADMK's coordinator and joint coordinator

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday unanimously elected O Panneerselvam (OPS) and Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) as coordinator and joint coordinator of the party, strengthening the current leadership structure. The move that has rattled J Jayalalitha’s close aide Sasikala and hampered her entry back into politics, placed powers of the party in the hands of OPS and EPS. 

O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami filed their nominations for the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator, respectively to the party’s election commissioners C Ponnaiyan and Pollachi V Jayaraman at the AIADMK headquarters on Saturday. Both leaders were elected unopposed by the party’s vote on Monday.

(O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami submit their nomination form for the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator, Image: Republic)

AIADMK revises bylaws, upholds current leadership structure

On Wednesday, the AIADMK revised its bylaws to keep ousted leader Sasikala at bay. The amendment passed at the party's Executive Committee meeting upholds the current leadership structure of Palaniswami and Pannerselvam, who hold the top two roles of coordinator and joint coordinator, respectively.

The most recent revisions require primary members to elect the top leadership, which includes the roles of coordinator and joint coordinator, in a "single vote." There can't be separate votes because there are two positions.

On December 3, Sasikala reacted had to the amendment saying, "The party was functioning for the needs of a few and stressed the situation will change very soon."

Underlining that AIADMK has forever functioned as a movement for simple volunteers and has gone on to become the third-largest party, Sasikala added, "But looking at the situation today, it is heartbreaking for every volunteer to think if this is why our two great leaders worked their blood and sweat tirelessly to save the party."

Sasikala, Jayalalithaa's close aide, took over as interim general secretary after her death in 2017. She was appointed interim General Secretary for a month when the Supreme Court found her guilty of excessive assets in February 2017 and sentenced her to prison.

The AIADMK then repealed a bylaw in 2017 that abolished the party's all-powerful general secretary status, deciding that Jayalalithaa would be their immortal general secretary after Sasikala's incarceration. It gave Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, who was then serving as deputy chief minister and chief minister, respectively, the powers of the general secretary by creating the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator. The top dual leadership party structure has now been strengthened by a recent revision to the bylaws.

(Image: PTI)