Setback for EPS, HC orders status quo on July GC meet

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered status quo as of June 23 over the conduct of the AIADMK’s July 11 General Council, in effect rendering the meet, which among others picked Edappady K Palaniswami (EPS) as its chief, invalid.Though the HC ruling was being seen as a setback to EPS, his supporters insisted it was not so and informed that the next course of action would be decided after going through the detailed order.

O Panneerselvam, the rival AIADMK leader who was ‘expelled’ from the party at the July 11 GC meet, said the ruling showed nobody can “usurp,” a political party, let alone a house, and that the judiciary and God will not allow that. He said a good leader was one who would take along all, despite insults hurled by some.

On Wednesday, Justice G Jayachandran ordered status quo as on June 23, in effect rendering as invalid the July 11 GC meeting. The general council, AIADMK’s highest decision-making body, ‘expelled’ Panneerselvam and some of his associates from the party amid his leadership tussle with Palaniswami, who was picked as the interim general secretary of the party by the GC members.

The judge held that the co-ordinator and the joint co-ordinator alone shall convene the GC meeting. He also suggested nomination of an observer to conduct the meeting.

The court was passing orders on the civil suits from Panneerselvam and GC member Vairamuthu. Later, the counsel appearing for Panneerselvam said the court has said the Coordinator and Joint Coordinator posts, held by OPS and Palaniswami, respectively earlier, “had not lapsed”. The June 23 GC meet, convened jointly by the two leaders earlier, had announced that the one and only demand of the GC members is to bring in a system of a single leadership for the party, favouring Palaniswami, also known as EPS.

Responding to the court verdict, Panneerselvam said he trusted dharma, the judiciary, party workers and the people, “who believe truth and dharma are by my side.” It was a ‘historic’ ruling.“This verdict proves justice, dharma, party workers, people and especially the Almighty will not accept usurping a political party by force, let alone someone’s house,” he said in a statement.

RIVAL LEADER OPS SAID THE RULING SHOWED NOBODY CAN “USURP,” A POLITICAL PARTY