CHENNAI: The Supreme Court today upheld the orders of the division bench of Madras High Court which allowed the continuation of Edappadi K Palaniswami as the interim general secretary of the AIADMK.
The verdict came as a big boost to Palaniswami days ahead of the by-election to the Erode East Assembly constituency and as a setback for O Panneerselvam.
A division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy gave the verdict today. The bench clarified that the court's observations are relating to the interim orders passed by the Madras HC and that they shall have no bearing on the suit pending in the HC regarding the disputes between O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Just after the verdict, AIADMK cadres gathered at the party headquarters here and celebrated the moment by distributing sweets and bursting crackers. A section of the cadre poured milk on the portrait of Palaniswami and raised slogans hailing EPS as the single leader of the party.
At Madurai, Palaniswami hailed the SC verdict as a historic one and said this has come as a booster to the party cadre. He said the party would come to power in the next general elections.
D Jayakumar, AIADMK organising secretary and supporter of Palaniswami, told reporters at party headquarters that the political future of OPS will be zero hereafter. He also said Palaniswami would take back those who moved away from the party except VK Sasikala, TTV Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam.
V Pughazhendi, spokesperson of the OPS faction said if the SC upheld the Madras HC order on the appointment of EPS as interim general secretary, it would also mean that the Apex Court has also given life to the ruling of the HC that the issue of whether the post of coordinator had lapsed as a matter to be determined at trial in the pending civil suits. Sources said Panneerselvam is likely to seek expeditious hearing of the civil suits pending before Madras HC and meanwhile may move the Election Commission also.