CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy CM O Panneerselvam issued a statement warning of disciplinary action against those violating the diktat. Sources say apart from EPS and OPS, only R Vaithilingam, KP Munusamy and E Madhusudanan spoke at the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Panneerselvam indicated that an 11-member steering committee would be formed soon to look after party affairs. This committee was first promised on August 21, 2017, when the factions led by Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami merged.
Expediting grievance resolution will be the primary task for this panel, apart from playing a key role in the selection of candidates for various elections. "We went into the meeting smiling and came out the same way," said minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji.
At the meeting, Panneerselvam said the incharges for each constituency should enquire about the reasons for the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and in many Assembly constituencies where by-elections were held.
Sources said E Madhusudanan, presidium chairman of the party, had suggested that the leadership should not stop at just seeking the views of the office bearers but also hear those of the cadre. He said only efficient hands should be selected for the Rajya Sabha seats for biennial elections to happen next month.
There were posters near the AIADMK headquarters put up by a North Chennai functionary proposing Palaniswami as the general secretary of the party. Similarly, at Sivaganga, there were posters suggesting School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan as the general secretary. But Sengottaiyan denounced the poster.
Ministers CVe Shanmugam and OS Manian were absent in the meeting. While CVe Shanmugan could not attend the meeting as his brother met with an accident, Manian could not, due to the death of his close relative. Kunnam MLA RT Ramachandran, who supported Rajan Chellappa in demanding single leadership, did not attend the meeting as he is convalescing after surgery.
‘No invitation’
ET Rathinasabapathy, VT Kalaiselvan and R Prabhu, the MLAs supporting AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, did not attend the meeting and went on record saying they were not invited