AIADMK crisis: Sasikala is still General Secretary, bylaws make her the most powerful

More and more MLAs are jumping to the TTV Dinakaran faction every day.

Despite being convicted in a disproportionate assets case, lodged in a central prison, sidelined by her own party, Sasikala Natarajan, in principle, is the most powerful in the AIADMK. According to bylaws that govern the party, General Secretary holds supreme power and currently whether the men who chose her like it or not, Sasikala Natarajan in the General Secretary of the AIADMK.

The AIADMK is caught in a web of its own. Little did the leaderless party in December know that their decision to nominate 'Chinnamma' as the party chief would lead to an unprecedented political crisis in Tamil Nadu. While Edappadi Palanisamy, the man who Sasikala chose to be the Cheif Minister, is contemplating her ouster, the party bylaws may not allow the same.

Palanisamy and Panneerselvam intend to convene a General Council to adopt a resolution to oust Sasikala. They may even go ahead with it, if only it were not in violation of the party bylaw. "The general secretary of the party shall have the powers and responsibilities to convene the Executive and the General Council Meetings to implement policies and programs of the party.." says the AIADMK bylaw. By this law, only the General Secretary can convene a meeting. Even though she was chosen as an interim General Secretary, Sasikala holds the post now.

AIADMK's own doing has turned into a bane

Her post is under legal scrutiny before the election commission. Any decision was taken by the party in favour or against her before the election commission passes an order on her elevation will be inconsequential. Any resolution that the party adopts will be declared null and void since ECI's verdict alone will apply.

The Supreme Court's rejection of Sasikala's review petition may not be of any use to the Palanisamy camp since it won't matter to the MLAs who are backing TTV Dinakaran. The Mannargudi family has been influencing candidate selection and ticket distribution from AIADMK for decades now. Many MLAs of the AIADMK work for the party but are loyal to the family.

It is with this confidence, that TTV Dinakaran now threatens to dethrone Palanisamy. The 'sleeper cells' within the AIADMK that Dinakaran threatens to unleash on Palanisamy government are the products of decades of political planning by the Mannargudi family.

Even as the one-upmanship continues, BJP national secretary met Palanisamyh and Panneerselvam. The meet was deemed 'apolitical' as expected. Meanwhile, speculations are rife that in charge Governor of Tamil Nadu Vishyasagar Rao may travel out of the country. Raj Bhavan, however, has not confirmed any such travel plans.

OneIndia News