The EPS has called a meeting of legislators on Sunday when Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party AIADMK will elect a deputy leader of the legislature party, who will replace the OPS.
Among those expelled were OPS’s two sons – OP Rabindranath (the lone AIADMK Lok Sabha MP) and VP Jayapradeep – former minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan, Perambalur district secretary RT Ramachandram and AIADMK mouthpiece. Namadhu MGRFormer editor of Marudhu Azhaguraj.
“These people are being removed from the primary membership of AIADMK for acting contrary to the goals and policies of the party. He also defame the AIADMK,” the EPS said in a statement.
He also directed the party workers not to keep in touch with the expelled office bearers.
“EPS flaunts her whip in the style of Amma (J Jayalalithaa). (He) removed all those who defame AIADMK from the primary membership of the party.
On Thursday, the EPS also made some key appointments in the party and inducted eight organizing secretaries from different communities.
While the OPS and senior leaders PH Manoj Pandian and R Vaithilingam were expelled on July 11 during the party’s drama-filled general council meeting, the OPS maintains that the EPS does not have the power to expel them as they cannot vote in the election. The coordinator remains in the records of the commission. ,
The sacking of the members, seen as OPS supporters, comes days after the chaos that followed the AIADMK general council meeting that ended the dual leadership system. First, the OPS and EPS shared leadership, with the former serving as coordinators and the latter as co-coordinators.
‘single leader’
The EPS was elected the party’s “single leader” at the 11 July General Council meeting and was named interim general secretary.
With this, five years ago former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and party chief J. A resolution was passed declaring Jayalalithaa, who died in 2016, as the ‘perpetual general secretary’. The council gave the EPS full powers to run the party in the interim period as preparations had begun to hold elections for the post within four months.
While the EPS-OPS feud went on for weeks, ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala termed the general council meeting as “invalid”, saying it had wide support.
Jayalalithaa’s close aide Sasikala had said on July 11 that it was time for party workers to come together. “Looking at today’s events, the time has come for all AIADMK workers to come together. If you try to grab a leadership position, it won’t last. Any position derived from money will not last and is legally void. Don’t miss out on reality by fighting for the shadows,” she said.
(Edited by Tony Rae)