Tamil Nadu’s ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s General Council yesterday annulled the appointment of V K Sasikala as the party’s general secretary and also struck down the appointments made by her before going to jail, including making her nephew T T V Dinakaran the party deputy general secretary.
In other major decisions, the General Council altered the party’s organisational structure to a collective leadership. It amended the party rules whereby none will be elected or nominated to the post of general secretary, a position held by party supremo and late chief minister J Jayalalithaa till her death.
The General Council also decided that party co-ordinator, now held by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and joint co-ordinator held by Chief Minister K Palaniswami, will oversee the party affairs.
It was also decided that the co-ordinator and joint co-ordinator would be elected by the General Council, and they would hold the post for five years.
With the annulment of the appointment of Dinakaran as deputy general secretary, the appointments made by him are also struck down.
Sasikala was appointed interim general secretary last December following Jayalalithaa’s death.
Sasikala appointed Dinakaran as her deputy before going to jail.
The council also ratified the recent merger of the two factions led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam.
One of the basic demands of the Panneerselvam camp for the merger with Palaniswami was the dismissal of Sasikala and her family members from the party.
Party officials said the power to admit or dismiss a member rests with the general secretary. This power has been now transferred to party co-ordinator and joint co-ordinator following the amendments to the rules.
Party officials said the dismissal of Sasikala and her family from the party may happen now - under the new organisational structure.
The General Council also resolved to restore all those who were party office bearers appointed by Jayalalithaa. They will continue to hold office now, it said.
Loyalists of Dinakaran, including lawmakers and members of General Council, boycotted the meeting.
Reacting to the resolutions Dinakaran said the Madras High Court on Monday had said the decisions of the meeting are subject to its final judgment.
Dinakaran, who claims the support of 21 party legislators, yesterday said he would work towards bringing down the Palaniswami government.
“You (Palaniswami) and others have no moral right to sit in positions of power that was once wielded by Jayalalithaa. We will send this government home,” Dinakaran told a press conference later.
Citing the resolution that states that the party members cannot visualise anybody else as general secretary other than the late Jayalalithaa, he wondered whether the same logic would also apply to the chief minister’s post.
Dinakaran said it was Panneerselvam who broke away from the party and was instrumental in the Election Commission freezing the party’s `two leaves’ symbol.
“Our workers and the public have been raising the question about the continuation of this government, which is not in tune with Jayalaithaa’s principles. They (ruling faction) are afraid of facing elections. They can’t even get back deposits, but the MLAs are with them because of a false fear about facing elections,” he said.
“After sending this government home, we will work to restore Jayalalithaa’s government.”
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s workers arrive to attend the party’s General Council meeting in Chennai yesterday.
