More leaders join chorus for single leadership, OPS says no way

The crisis within the AIADMK continued to deepen on Sunday, with many senior leaders asserting that single leadership is the way forward.
More leaders join chorus for single leadership, OPS says no way

CHENNAI: The crisis within the AIADMK continued to deepen on Sunday, with many senior leaders, including former ministers OS Manian, Pollachi V Jayaraman, and NR Sivapathi, asserting that single leadership is the way forward, even as party coordinator O Panneerselvam talked tough saying he would not accept anything but continuance of the dual leadership.

JCD Prabhakar, a member of the party’s steering committee, who is taking part in all discussions with Panneerselvam, told TNIE the coordinator is unwilling to accept any compromise formula as he has been elected by the primary members of the AIADMK. Prabhakar also said Panneerselvam categorically told those who met him that any unilateral decision cannot be thrust upon the cadre in an autocratic manner.

When asked, Prabhakar denied reports that Panneerselvam demanded postponement of the general council meeting. He said Panneerselvam was worried about the growing unrest among cadre due to the single leadership issue. On Sunday, senior leaders of the party KA Sengottaiyan and M Thambidurai held discussions with both Panneerselvam and Palaniswami in an effort to arrive at an amicable solution.

Meanwhile, large advertisements listing the achievements of Panneerselvam and praising his political acumen, given by his loyalists in Tamil dailies, alleged Paneerselvam was not being allowed to function freely as coordinator of the AIADMK and claimed this was the cause for the party’s defeat in the 2021 Assembly elections. The advertisements also claimed the 10.5% reservation for the Vanniyar community, given in haste, led to the defeat of the AIADMK in southern districts.

As for speculation that the Two Leaves symbol could be frozen if the AIADMK comes under a single leadership in the present situation, the party’s election wing deputy secretary and lawyer IS Inbadurai, who is supporting Palaniswami, said, “The party bylaws give room for bringing the party under a single leadership. Also, single leadership was practised previously.”

He added that only two institutions — the Election Commission and the judiciary — can question this to ascertain whether due process of law and party bylaws were followed while moving towards single leadership.

Most members want party to have single leader: Manian

“There is another wrong notion that dual leadership cannot be changed for five years. These leaders were not elected on a contract basis. Since the general council is the supreme authority in the AIADMK, it can make changes in the party.

"In this issue, it’s purely a number game,” Inbadurai explained. Former minister OS Manian said most office bearers agree the party should have a single leader since it is the need of the hour. The forthcoming general council meeting will reveal their views and the nature of the expected single leadership.

Manian also hailed the manner in which joint coordinator and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami handled the government in the last four years of the AIADMK regime. Another senior functionary, STK Jaggaiyan, said even office- bearers in Panneerselvam’s home district of Theni want a single leadership for the party, while Pollachi V Jayaraman asserted that the general council meeting will be held to elect a single leader.

Meanwhile, the party’s Trichy south district secretary P Kumar expressed his support for Palaniswami to head the party and hailed his performance as CM. “The party will only be able to function effectively under a single leader, as evidenced during the period of (former chief ministers) MGR and J Jayalalithaa. Dual leadership has hindered the smooth functioning of the party, both inside and outside the Assembly,” he added.

(With inputs from Tiruchy)

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com