Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam named 14 persons, including Rajya Sabha MP R Dharmar and several former legislators, as ‘district secretaries’ of the party on Sunday, July 24, and asked the party workers to extend their cooperation to the new functionaries. The announcement comes days after the headquarters of the party, ‘MGR Maaligai’ in Chennai, was reopened and handed over to party interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami based on a Madras HC order. The party had witnessed a split on June 23 during the party’s General Council meeting, when the demand for a unitary leadership was put forth. Since then, both the leaders have been claiming that the AIADMK is helmed by them.
In a party release made with the AIADMK letterhead, Panneerselvam has stated that he has made appointments for the post of district secretary in several districts, which will come into effect from Sunday. The appointees include VNP Venkatraman (Chennai suburban district) and Kovai K Selvaraj (Coimbatore district), both former MLAs, as well as Dharmar (Ramanathapuram district), who was among the six candidates elected unopposed to the Upper House from Tamil Nadu last month. In total, 14 partymen were appointed as 'district secretaries' by Panneerselvam.
Meanwhile, Panneerselvam was discharged from a hospital here, where he was under treatment for COVID-19.
Panneerselvam, popularly known as OPS, was recently expelled from the party, besides being relieved of his post as party treasurer. The AIADMK, led by Edappadi Palaniswami, has also removed Panneerselvam from his position as the deputy leader in the Assembly. A representation in this regard has been sent to Speaker M Appavu by the AIADMK, even as OPS staunchly opposed the changes to the composition in the legislature party. The matter is currently before the Speaker. OPS, meanwhile, maintains that he is the party coordinator and treasurer, the matters related to which are before the Election Commission and court.
Earlier last week, on July 13, Palaniswami had announced the appointment of former ministers KP Munusamy and Natham R Viswanathan as deputy general secretaries, and urged the party workers to extend their cooperation to the new functionaries.
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