AIADMK crisis: General Council to be convened soon to oust Sasikala, Dinakaran

A decision on general council meeting is expected to be taken at Monday's meeting

In a meeting convened on Monday under the leadership of Edappadi Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam, the AIADMK decided to call for a General Council meeting. All appointments made by Sasikala Natarajan and TTV Dinakaran have also been held null and void.

The Edappadi Palanisamy-Panneerselvam camp passed four resolutions on Monday:

• Appointments made by TTV Dinakaran deemed null and void. Dinakaran does not have any authority to remove or replace existing functionaries.
  
• Jaya TV and Namadhu MGR will be retrieved legally
  
• General Council to be convened shortly
  
• Party and government to function cohesively

The AIADMK has decided to call for a General Council where a resolution to oust Sasikala Natarajan and TTV Dinakaran will be adopted. The move is sure to face stiff opposition from the Dinakaran camp and lead to a showdown. Close to 30 MLAs gave the meeting a miss in a setback to Palanisamy. Despite the absence of many legislators, the AIADMK decided to go ahead with its decision on General Council. A decision was also taken on retrieving Jaya TV and party mouthpiece Namadu MGR legally.

AIADMK has also decided to approach the Election Commission of India to inform of the merger. A request to reclaim the party's 'Two-leaves' symbol will also be made. It is, however, unclear if the party will be able to withdraw the affidavits that have been filed in support of erstwhile Sasikala and Panneerselvam camps.

Even as a meeting was underway inside the headquarters,Palanisamy and Panneerselvam supporters protested against Sasikala and Dinakaran outside the building.

Tamil Nadu: EPS-OPS supporters protest against VK Sasikala and TTV Dinakaran at AIADMK headquarter in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/sAmXzfEGpA

— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2017

With the support of 26 MLAs now, TTV Dinakaran camp is stronger. He has shifted his MLAs back to a resort in Puducherry. Back at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai, MP Thambidurai, ministers M C Sampath, Kadambur Raju, KA Sengottaiyan arrived to take part in the meeting called for by Edappadi Palanisamy and Panneerselvam. Edappadi Palanisamy is expected to take a call on suspending the rebel MLAs but the same would jeopardise his government.

On Sunday, DMK pressed for a floor test once again while Dinakaran removed Palanisamy from party office bearer post. He has systematically removed all members of the Palanisamy- Panneerselvam camp from all party posts. TTV Dinakaran on Monday sacked Minister for Electricity Thangamani from Namakkal district secretary post.Thangamani was crucial in the merger of two AIADMK camps. Monday's meeting, however, also decided to declare all of Dinakaran's appointments null and void.

Meanwhile, close to 25 MLAs lodged at a resort in Puducherry by Dinakaran have claimed that they were neither informed nor invited for the meeting. The Dinakaran camp has alleged that the government is making arrangements to suspend them from the assembly.

OneIndia News