The decks were cleared for the 12 September general council and executive committee meeting called by Chief Minister E Palaniswamy-led faction after the Madras High Court on Monday
dismissed a plea
by an MLA owing allegiance to sidelined AIADMK deputy chief TTV Dhinakaran. The fate of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikla hangs in the balance. Dhinakaran aide plea dismissed Justice CV Karthikeyan dismissed the application filed by MLA P Vetrivel and fined him Rs one lakh for “wasting the time of the court”. In his suit, the MLA sought a permanent injunction restraining Palaniswamy and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam from using the name AIADMK (Amma)and AIADMK (Puratchi Talaivi Amma) in any manner and calling the general council meeting. He also filed an application seeking an interim order staying the meeting. The judge pointed out that being an MLA, the applicant should have taken note of a circular issued by the high court earlier, which stated that MPs and MLAs should first get the nod of the chief justice for filing petitions. Vetrivel filed the suit without getting the nod the judge said. Referring to the contention of his counsel that the suit has been filed in Vetrivel’s individual capacity and also that the defendants had been sued in their individual names, Justice Karthikeyan said it had only helped the applicant to circumvent to the court’s circular. [caption id=“attachment_4033987” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
File image of jailed AIADMK supremo VK Sasikala.[/caption] Coming down heavily on the applicant, the judge in his order said he did not have any cause of action. He then said Vetrivel had three options: Attend tomorrow’s meeting either in his individual capacity or as a MLA, choose to remain at his home with his family and friends and enjoy lunch and afternoon siesta or resign from his post as a legislator and be rid of the irritants which upset his peace of mind. When Vetrivel’s counsel made a request to grant liberty to the petitioner to approach the Election Commission against the general council meet, the judge observed that no one could prevent any person from approaching an appropriate forum to vent grievances. Later, senior counsel TV Ramanujam appeared before the first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar and made a special mention stating that they would file an appeal against the single judge’s order. The chief justice told the counsel to file the appeal and approach the appropriate bench for taking up the issue. Decision to hold meeting taken on 28 August The decision to hold a general council meeting on 12 September was taken during the 28 August meeting. The meeting, however, not attended by some of the party MLAs and MPs. During the meeting, the validity of the appointments made by Sasikala before going to jail in the Rs 66.6 crore disproportionate assets case was also discussed,
AIADMK sources
told PTI. Convened by Palaniswamy and attended by senior party functionaries and ministers, the 28 August meeting also discussed Dhinakaran’s recent shuffling of the party ranks, sources said. Dhinakaran removed Palaniswamy as the party’s Salem district secretary on Sunday, besides sacking many other ministers from party posts. Speaking on the agenda of the 12 September meeting, AIADMK sources told PTI that _s_teps would be taken to consider removing Sasikala as the chief of the party at the meeting of the general council, the apex body of the AIADMK. With inputs from PTI
AIADMK general council meeting highlights: EPS and OPS take 12 resolutions; post of general secretary removed
The decks are clear for the 12 September general council and executive committee meeting called by Chief Minister E Palaniswamy-led faction after the Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a plea by an MLA owing allegiance to sidelined AIADMK deputy chief TTV Dhinakaran.
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AIADMK meeting saw 95% attendance
The AIADMK reported 95% attendance at the meeting of over 2,000 party members. Eighteen legislators loyal to VK Sasikala missed the meeting, but the united AIADMK claims that already nine of them have pledged support to Chief Minister Palaniswamy, also called EPS.
General Council meeting can only be held with general secretary’s permission, says TTV Dhinakaran
12 resolutions were passed in the much awaited AIADMK general council meeting
In total, 12 resolutions were passed in the much awaited AIADMK general council meeting among them the most important being the party doing away with the post of the general secretary. VK Sasikala’s post has been removed altogether. The reins of the party will now be in the hands of EPS and OPS who are the convenor and co-convener of AIADMK.
MK Stalin says he is taking legal recourse for floor test
MK Stalin filed a writ petition demanding floor test to prove E Palaniswamy government’s majority. News18 added that case is likely to come up on Thursday.
Madras HC to hear plea on floor test on 10 October
The Madras High Court has agreed to hear DMK & PMK’s pleas on 10 October for ordering floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, reports CNN News18.
E Palaniswamy questions Dhinakaran, adds he is happy AIADMK has united
O Panneerselvam says no one can divide the AIADMK, promises to rule as per Jayalalithaa’s wishes
Congress slams AIADMK general council meeting
Twitter sees humour in ’eternal general secretary’ post
Recap: EC had frozen ’two-leaves’ election symbol
The Election Commission had on 23 March issued an interim order freezing the “two leaves” election symbol of AIADMK, saying both camps (the then OPS and EPS camps) cannot use the symbol as well as its name for the RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, which was scrapped after large scale irregularities were found days before the voting.
Dhinakaran said it was deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam who broke away from the party and was instrumental in the Election Commission freezing the party’s ’two leaves’ symbol.
Dhinakaran said, “DMK is our main challenger and we’ll fight against them, and win the elections. The ruling faction is spreading falsehood that we are in alignment with DMK.”
In the 235-member Assembly, there are 234 members, including one nominated member without voting rights. One seat remains vacant following the death of Jayalalithaa last year. Effectively, the number of legislators with voting rights in the Assembly is 233. The number of legislators opposed to the government is 119, including the DMK and allies with 98 and Dhinakaran faction’s 21.
Dhinakaran has no locus standi, says EPS
CNN News18 reports that Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami told the general council meeting that TTV Dhinakaran has no locus standi to criticise them as the late Jayalalithaa had kept him away from party affairs for 10 years.
Recap: General secretary post now history
AIADMK meeting does away with general secretary post, decides to appoint coordinator, joint coordinator with all administrative powers. E Palaniswamy and O Panneerselvam now hold full powers.
PTI
What was unveiled in Chennai was a sequel to the turbulent month of February when OPS revolted against Sasikala. ‘AIADMK Returns’ has a new cast, with the late Jayalalithaa as the permanent general secretary. It is political insurance for the OPS-EPS duo to take all decisions in the name of Jayalalithaa, as it will help curb dissidence. Power will be vested in a steering committee with OPS and EPS to head the party.
What will this mean for the AIADMK? The plan is to project OPS and EPS as the inheritors of the Jayalalithaa legacy and portray the Mannargudi clan as a group that was shown the door in the past by the former chief minister.
In the revolving door culture of the AIADMK, EPS who was appointed as chief minister by Sasikala has now officially stabbed her in the back to join hands with friend-turned-foe-turned-friend OPS. Unsurprisingly, Dhinakaran is seeing red and has vowed to “send the government packing”.
DMK moves HC seeking floor test
The principal Opposition party DMK on Tuesday moved the Madras High Court seeking a floor test against the E Palaniswamy-led AIADMK government, India Today TV reported. The party urged the ruling dispensation to prove its majoirty in the 233-member Assembly after 21 of the MLAs are reported to be in the TTV Dhinakaran camp.
A summary of all that happened in one tweet
Senior journalist Madhavan Narayanan tweets
23 October hearing may be the D-Day for Sasikala, Dhinakaran
While the two-member bench of the Madras High Court has cleared legal hurdles, the apex court did say that all the decisions taken would be subject to scrutiny at the next hearing, which is fixed for 23 October, Livemint reported. This means there is still a chance that the decision against Sasikala and Dhinakaran may be overturned too.
Subramanian Swamy says Palaniswamy may be made to quit
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy told India Today TV that the TTV faction may force E Palaniswamy to quit as chief minister. He added that there is a speculation that Tamil Nadu Assembly speaker P Dhanapal may be made the consensus candidate to take over as chief minister.
The appointment of her nephew TTV Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary also stands cancelled as every decision taken by Sasikala has retrospectively been declared null and void.
Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK on Tuesday announced J Jayalalithaa would be granted the title of the party’s “eternal general secretary”.
The party also announced that those appointed by the former party chief before her death would continue to hold their respective positions within the party, effectively removing VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran from all top posts, reported Zee News.
The party also scrapped the post of general secretary, which was being held by VK Sasikala.
DMK slams AIADMK
Speaking to India Today, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan criticised the lack of governance and said that there is no watchman in the state, in an apparent dig at the sparing faction of E Palaniswamy and TTV Dhinakaran. He said that in such a scenario, any Tom, Dick and Harry can steal things in the state.
Recap: What happened in December 2016
Sasikala was appointed as general secretary on a temporary basis following the death of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. But before going to jail after conviction in the disproportionate assets case, she had appointed Dhinakaran as the deputy general secretary. — IANS
Split still wide open in AIADMK as Jaya TV broadcasts its own list of general council members
Want to bring back Amma rule in Tamil Nadu, says Dhinakaran
21 MLAs to vote against Palaniswamy
“We need to save the party. The Tamil Nadu Governor has asked us to wait for a couple of days. All my 21 MLAs are going to vote against E Palaniswamy government, says Dhinkaran. – News18
TTV Dhinakran dares OPS-EPS to call for fresh polls
TTV demands resignation of E Palaniswamy
Dhinakaran says that the government has lost the trust of the people of Tamil Nadu so the chief minister needs and his council of minister needs to resign.
CNN News18
Panneerselvam, Palaniswamy betrayed Amma, says Dhinakaran
“This is the betrayal of Chinaamma (Sasikala). The man who was amde the CM by Sasikala has betrayed us. How can these people work for the people of Tamil Nadu. I am listening to the heart of cadres and people of Tamil Nadu who long for the return of Amma rule. It was on 31 December that OPS and EPS made her the general secretary of AIADMK. Cadres do not want them (OPS and EPS) in power, " TTV Dhinakaran said.
“When Amma was in power, she was the queen of the party and the people of Tamil Nadu. Bur what has happened is the betrayal of voters. When Anitha commited suicide, none of these people came to meet the family. We will follow the path of Chinaamma and Amma. We bring back the rule of Amma. I am the chosen one of Jayalalithaa.”
MLAs fear they need to face new elections
Recap: First general council meeting after January
The general council meeting on Tuesday was also the first after the unification of the two camps led by the Chief Minister E Palaniswamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam – PTI
Effectively, Panneerselvam and Palaniswamy are new leaders of the party
All powers of General Secretary is given to the chief co-ordinator and assistant chief co-ordinator, reports News18.
All decisions made by TTV Dhinakaran stand null and void
Panneerselvam and Palaniswamy gain more powers
As per the tenth resolution of the general council meeting, Panneerselvam has been made the head of the coordination committee while Palaniswamy is the co-coordinator of the party. General Secretary post has been scrapped.
Jayalalithaa’s appointees to continue in post