Palaniswami elevated as AIADMK general secretary

PTI, Mar 28, 2023, 11:29 AM IST

Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) was on Tuesday elevated as the AIADMK’s General Secretary, taking over complete control of the decades-old organisation minutes after a High Court green signal on the leadership issue involving his rival O Panneerselvam (OPS).

Soon after the Madras High Court rejected all petitions filed by the deposed OPS and his aides against the resolutions of the July 11, 2022 party general council and the conduct of the general secretary election, the 68-year old interim general secretary was announced elected unanimously to the top post at the party headquarters by the election authorities concerned.

The former chief minister thanked his supporters for his elevation. Many jubilant leaders of the main opposition party said his elevation would enable him steer the AIADMK towards better days. The July 11, 2022 meet of the AIADMK general council, the party’s highest decision-making body. had expelled Panneerselvam and his aides for alleged anti-party activities in the wake of the leadership battle involving the two leaders.

The Salem strongman’s supporters had backed him for the ‘single leader’ post, even as the party was previously led by Pannnerselvam and Palaniswami as the coordinator and joint coordinator, respectively, then.