Wary of Sasikala, AIADMK goes for internal polls

The move, to curb Sasikala's attempt to take over the party, was announced a day after the party by-laws were amended by its executive council

In another step to prevent an attempt by ousted general secretary VK Sasikala to take over the party, the AIADMK on Thursday announced the election schedule for the posts of coordinator and joint coordinator next week.

O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami are likely to be elected unopposed as coordinator and joint coordinator, respectively, of the AIADMK, as both the leaders realise that “staying united despite differences” was the only way to stave off any potential challenge from Sasikala, political observers said.

The significant move came a day after the party’s executive council approved an amendment to the AIADMK Constitution, allowing primary members to elect the coordinator and joint coordinator through a single-vote system. The party by-laws had in 2017 vested the powers of electing the leadership with the general council.

Announcing the schedule for organisational elections, C Ponnaiyan, and Pollachi V Jayaraman said the nominations for the polls to elect the coordinator and joint coordinator will open on Friday, while the election will be held on December 7 if there is more than one nomination.

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

The decision to hold the internal polls immediately after amending the by-laws is a serious setback to Sasikala’s efforts to take over the AIADMK leadership. According to the AIADMK, Sasikala is not even a primary member of the party after she failed to renew her membership in 2017 after the by-laws were amended to accommodate Panneerselvam as coordinator and Palaniswami as joint coordinator.

Stung by the sudden move, Sasikala put up a brave face by asking “genuine cadres” not to lose heart and that a new dawn was in the offing. “Several people in the party are waiting for the AIADMK to get back to its past glory. Your expectations will not go in vain. Don’t lose and be brave. With help from everyone, let us reclaim the AIADMK from those who are running the party according to their whims and fancies,” Sasikala said in a statement.

By getting the amendment approved and holding the elections, the AIADMK has, albeit, for now, ended all speculation over reverting to singular leadership practised by MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. The move also allows Palaniswami to continue to wield influence over the party, given his status as the leader of Opposition, and support base among the legislators, while sidelining Panneerselvam further although he will be placed a notch above him on paper.

“The move signifies the consolidation of anti-Sasikala forces within the AIADMK. This also amounts to Panneerselvam throwing up his hands. It looks like the door is closed, rather hard, at least for now, for Sasikala,” senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh told DH.

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