Dual leadership to continue, all is well within party, says AIADMK

The party amended its constitution to allow primary members to elect the leadership

Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party, AIADMK, on Wednesday, put up a brave face by sending a signal that "all is well" within the party and asserting that the “dual leadership” arrangement will continue, despite voices against the current leadership and support of VK Sasikala continuing to grow.

The executive council, which met at the party headquarters on Wednesday morning, passed a resolution approving an amendment to the AIADMK Constitution that allows primary members, instead of the general council, to elect the coordinator and joint coordinator. With this, the party will revert to its earlier style of primary members electing the leadership.

The amendment seeks to achieve two goals — one the establishment of the current coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami firmly in the leadership saddle and the other to thwart attempts by Sasikala to take over the party.

According to AIADMK leaders, Sasikala is not a primary member of the party as she failed to renew her membership in 2017. However, the former aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa continues to address herself as the general secretary of the party.

Also Read — AIADMK expels its Muslim face for supporting Sasikala

As Panneerselvam and Palaniswami came under attack from party leaders on their “indecisive” nature, the amendment will cement their position within the AIADMK, at least for now. At a general council meeting on September 12, 2017, the AIADMK did away with the post of general secretary and introduced the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator.

The amended constitution says the coordinator and joint coordinator will be elected by ‘single vote’ system by primary members of the AIADMK. The amendment was approved, signalling to those opposing the dual leadership and supporting Sasikala to end their dissent.

Though Panneerselvam and Palaniswami have clashed on several occasions, sources said that they don’t have any other option but to put up a “united front.”

The decision of the executive council comes a day after the party expelled its Muslim face, Anwhar Rajaah, for speaking against the current leadership and batting for Sasikala’s re-entry. Sources said the meeting also sent a strong signal to dissenters, that they would meet the “same fate as Rajaah’s.”

Former minister and senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar told reporters that Rajaah’s expulsion was “absolutely necessary” to prevent others from talking “like him.”

Sasikala has vowed to “reclaim” the AIADMK from the current leadership following the party’s defeat in the April 6 assembly elections. However, the close friend of late Jayalalithaa is yet to make any headway in her efforts to take over the AIADMK leadership, with no visible swell in her support base.

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