E Palaniswami declared AIADMK Gen Secy after Madras HC rejects OPS faction’s challenge

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 28 (ANI): The AIADMK on Tuesday formally announced E K Palaniswami (EPS) as its General Secretary soon after Madras High Court today rejected applications by O Panneerselvam (OPS) and others seeking a stay on the results of the AIADMK general secretary elections.
Followign the court order, EPS thanked cadres and said that he has been announced as General Secretary of the party. "After several difficulties, fulfiling the leader's dreams, I've won as General Secretary by cadres.I thank all cadres. I've been announced as General Secretary. Election officer has announced the result. I've been elected unanimously as General Secretary by cadres."
Celebrations broke out at the party headquarters after the court verdict.
The Madras HC was hearing the petition filed by the O Panneerselvam faction against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami as the AIADMK's interim general secretary by the party's general council in July last year.
Justice K Kumaresh Babu rejected the interim applications filed by AIADMK leaders OPS and his supporters seeking a stay on the AIADMK general secretary polls.
On March 19, Madras HC said that AIADMK could continue the election proceedings for the General Secretary post but directed that the results could not be announced.
Today's high court order issued by Justice K Kumaresh Babu said that the results of General Secretary elections should not be declared till the disposal of applications filed by Manoj Pandian and others seeking interim relief.
The court decided to continue arguments on the interim plea on March 22.
The election to the post of general secretary of AIADMK was held on March 26.
Earlier in March, the Madras High Court refused to pass an interim order on a plea by former chief minister O Panneerselvam's confidante, Manoj Pandian, seeking an interim stay on the resolutions passed at the AIADMK General Council meeting on July 11 last year.
At the meeting, Edapaddi Palaniswami (EPS) was made the interim general secretary of the party.
Since the death of former chief minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary J Jayalalithaa, the party had a dual leadership, with OPS and EPS leading the AIADMK as coordinator and joint coordinator respectively. However, recently, disputes arose between both leaders, with the EPS group pressing for single leadership. (ANI)