Senior AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was on Monday elected Deputy Leader of the AIADMK legislative party, thus enabling him to be the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. Former Minister SP Velumony was elected as the Chief Whip. The appointments were made at the party meeting held at the AIADMK headquarters. It lasted three hours.
AIADMK legislative party leader and former Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, in a joint statement, said that the election for the party legislative posts were taken unanimously. Aarkonam MLA S Ravi was elected as the Deputy Whip, and former minister Kadambur C Raju will be the treasurer of the AIADMK legislative party. There were reports that Panneerselvam was having strong differences of opinion with Palaniswami and that he was firm in not accepting the post of the Deputy Leader of the AIADMK legislative party and thereby the Deputy Leader of Opposition. However, the announcement of the posts have proved that the leaders have patched up differences, if any.
The AIADMK on Monday also warned of strict action against those members who interacted with ousted party chief Sasikala, even as it expelled 17 members including party spokesperson V Pugazhendhi. Most of those who were expelled were found to have interacted with VK Sasikala. It was at the AIADMK legislators’ meeting held at the party headquarters in Chennai that the party leadership warned of strict action. AIADMK co-coordinator and former chief minister K Palaniswami was elected as leader of the opposition on June 10.
According to the party leadership, after Sasikala announced her decision to quit politics, she is now attempting to take control of the party, after seeing the AIADMK’s growth. This was made evident in the media reports of her conservations with some party leaders, they said.