Stage is set for a crucial AIADMK general council meeting on Tuesday which in all probability would see the easing out of VK Sasikala from the post of general secretary of the party. The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a civil petition filed by P Vetrivel, MlA , who had requested the court to restrain the merged factions led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam from holding the general council meeting. The court order is being seen as a morale booster to the EPS-OPS combine as well as a major setback to the Dinakaran faction.
But Dinakaran struck late Monday evening by declaring that the MlAs owing allegiance to him would vote against the Palaniswami Government if the Opposition brings in a no-confidence motion. Speaking to reporters at Madurai, Dinakaran said this was the surgical strike his faction has been planning for some time now. With the announcement of Dinakaran, the fate of Palaniswamy Government is almost sealed.
Vetrivel, a camp follower of Dinakaran, was imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh by Justice C V Karthikeyan who termed the petition a vexatious litigation. The judge said in his order that it has become a condemnable practice for the litigants to file civil suits by making men on their sides as defendants so that the latter could stab other defendants on their back at an opportune moment.
The judge expressed his surprise over the petitioner’s action in violating an order issued by the court early this year that any petition against MlAs and Ministers filed by an MlA should be routed through the Chief Justice. Justice Karthikeyan asked the petitioner to either attend the general council meeting honouring the invitation extended to him or ignore the invite and stay away from the venue.
The petitioner had contended that the general council meeting was illegal and pleaded to the court to stay it because only the general secretary or the deputy general secretary were the only competent persons to convene such a meeting.
The last general council meeting of the AIADMK was held on December 29, 2016 following the demise of then party chief J Jayalalithaa. That meeting saw the election of Sasikala as new general secretary which set the tone for the disintegration of the AIADMK. Though the December 29 meeting held at Chennai had unanimously elected Sasikala, the party underwent major splits and merger since then.
S Semmalai, senior AIADMK leader, had told The Pioneer that Sasikala may not be axed in Tuesday’s meeting. “We may abolish the post of general secretary once and forever as Jayalalithaa has ben termed as the life-long general secretary of the party,” said Semmalai.