The controversy over the demand for unitary leadership in the AIADMK took a new turn on Monday, with the camp led by coordinator O. Panneerselvam demanding the postponement of the party’s general council meeting, scheduled to be held in Chennai on Thursday (June 23).
The group led by co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami, also known as the ‘pro-changers’, insisted that the event be held as per schedule. It favoured the replacement of the present arrangement of dual leadership with single leadership.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Palaniswami, the party coordinator and one of the deputy coordinators, R. Vaithilingam - both representing the ‘no-changers’ - stated that the issue of leadership, which was raised at a meeting of the party’s district secretaries and headquarters’ functionaries on June 14 without any prior notice, had caused “heartburn” among the workers of the party. Some of the district secretaries and the headquarters’ office-bearers had expressed their views “without knowing the by-laws and realising [the significance of the by-laws]”. Confusion prevailed among the cadre and the people. An “abnormal situation”, caused by the damage to the reputation of the party on account of the view [which favoured the restoration of single leadership in the party], had arisen, which might create a law and order problem, they said.
