As EPS takes charge of AIADMK, OPS expelled from party posts, gives legal threat

Former Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister O Paneerselvam was on Monday expelled from all party posts, this after Edappadi Palaniswamy took control of the party as its interim general secretary.

Senior leaders and OPS supporters-JCD Prabhakar, R Vaithilingam and PH Manoj Pandian also expelled from the AIADMK.

After being expelled, Paneerselvam hit back, saying he is removing Edappadi Palaniswami from the party. OPS said he will move courts as he was elected as the coordinator by 1.5 crore party cadres.

Hours ago, the AIADMK general council meet declared E Palaniswamy, also known as EPS, as the interim general secretary, thus shedding the dual party structure of the party. The general council meet took place after the Madras high court rejected OPS’ plea seeking stay on the huddle.

On the streets, clashes were reported between the supporters of both the leaders. Videos floating on the internet showed OPS supporters storming the AIADMK office and raising slogans against EPS. There were videos of some OPS faction workers slapping the picture of the new general secretary with slippers.

EPS and OPS have been embroiled in a bitter war to claim the legacy of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa who died in 2017. After holding the chief minister’s briefly after Jayalalithaa’s death, he was replaced by Palaniswamy and served as his deputy till May 2021 when the AIADMK was ousted from power.