Ending dual leadership, EPS takes ADMK reins, expels Panneerselvam

On Monday, six years after party supremo J Jayalalithaa’s death, the AIADMK selected former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami as its interim general secretary, empowering him with all powers of the party and ending the "dual-leadership" formula that was being followed till now between him and his rival O Panneerselvam. The meeting, which followed a dramatic set of events, also witnessed the expulsion of OPS from the primary membership of the party and the post of the treasurer.

In its executive committee and general council meeting held in Vanagaram, the AIADMK passed resolutions endorsing the scrapping of the erstwhile top two positions of coordinator and joint coordinator held by OPS and EPS respectively -- a compromise plan to share power put in place when the two factions came together in 2017 -- at the behest of the BJP. The party's resolution for expelling OPS claimed that he has been siding with the DMK government, hailing the functioning of DMK government, weakening the AIADMK and approaching courts and police to act against party members. Apart from him, his supporters, R Vaithilingam, Manoj Pandian, and JCD Prabhakaran were also expelled. Panneerselvam, who did not attend the meeting, claimed he was still the party member and coordinator and said he would take the legal route and face the challenge with his supporters.

Before the decisions were announced, violent clashes broke out between the two warring factions so much so that the Tamil Nadu revenue department had to seal the party headquarters. Hours before the meeting began, OPS suffered another setback when the Madras High Court refused to stay the general council meeting as sought by him.


After assuming control of the party, an angry EPS lashed out at OPS and his supporters, demanding to know what "they had done for the party." He accused them of stealing party belongings and documents from the party's office, before going to meet party men injured in the clashes. Ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala said the expulsion of OPS by EPS will not stand the testimony of the court as his own appointment as the party's interim general secretary was "a big question mark."

"Unitary leadership and house in order"
The infighting in AIADMK started soon after Jayalalithaa's death, with both EPS and OPS fighting over the CM's post and then for the symbol, court battles over disqualification of MLAs, parting ways at least twice only to come together before the 2021 assembly elections that the party, in an alliance with the BJP subsequently lost. But in the past few days, many assertive voices had emerged in the AIADMK demanding a "single, unitary leadership to clear all confusion in cadre" with some even taking a strong position against the BJP's growth in the State.

The charisma of Jayalalithaa and her government's welfare schemes saw the AIADMK win back to back elections with the party ruling the State from 2011 from 2021, but since its 2019 win, the DMK has only been consolidating its position in the State, having won the rural local body polls, then the 2021 assembly elections and the urban local body polls of 2022.

Now, the AIADMK that has 65 MLAs in the 234-seat assembly is at the crossroads again. With EPS as the sole leader, it could either transform into a steady ship if he succeeds in consolidating the party, or the party could disintegrate further, if he fails to do so. The BJP that sees Tamil Nadu key to its southward march would be wary of both the possibilities.

“It’s unfortunate what has happened in the AIADMK. But it is their internal matter. We contested assembly elections in alliance. In the local bodies election, we contested independently. There is still a lot of time for the Lok Sabha election and a decision will be taken at the right time,” CT Ravi, BJP general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu on AIADMK political development.

The BJP, as party sources explain, would have preferred OPS to be at the helm of affairs. "OPS was malleable to the BJP's needs. EPS as the CM is far more independant. He could not control the anti-modi protests that created flutter in Tamil Nadu. Be it NEP or NEET, he saved his government by blaming everything on the centre. The only benefit was he supported our bills in the parliament, but under him, the AIADMK will not cede space for the BJP, particularly in the West Tamil Nadu where we see opportunities to grow," a state BJP functionary told ET.

Interestingly, both EPS and BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai represent the same community, gounders.

A BJP national leader, however, said the BJP's relationship with EPS improved during 2021 when despite his intense bargaining to reduce the number of seats for the BJP, he helped the party in establishing its presence in the State. The BJP won four MLA seats then. "With 97 percent of the MLAs supporting him, the BJP has no choice but to work as a junior partner here, till our work starts making an impact," he said.

Political observer K Gopalkrishnan said the AIADMK has the propensity to work well under one strong leader, such as MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalitha in the past. "With the emphasis on caste however, particularly the thevar community and with Sasikala, Dinakaran and OPS being ousted from the party, the AIADMK's voter-base among Thevars already facing a dent might suffer. There are many challenges for EPS but getting the support of over 63 MLAs, 70 district secretaries and 2,582 general council members is not easy. This means the AIADMK under him is at least wanting to bounce back. The DMK looks strong now, there are still four years to go."

According to sources, the BJP is watching the developments keenly. Some of its leaders are also in touch with AIADMK party leaders, including OPS' son, the party's sole MP, P Ravindranath in Lok Sabha, while there are rumours that OPS might be accommodated in some way. Although, it is important to note that when OPS was in Delhi two weeks ago for the presidential nomination, top leadership of the party did not grant him an audience.

A senior BJP leader explains that the BJP is working on multiple fronts in Tamil Nadu, mainly to establish its independent identity. While K.Annamalai, guided by BJP's national organsiation secretary BL Santhosh has been highlighting the flaws in the DMK's governance, the party is pushing its drive to induct or at least promote "non periyarist, non brahmin, pious" influential voices in the State that can appeal to the voters with their body of work and hindu religiosity. It was under this principle that the party earlier pushed Rajinikanth and recently nominated music maestro Ilayaraja who had created much heartburn among Dravidianists by comparing PM Modi to B.R. Ambedkar.