After Panneerselvam revolt Sasikala now faces EC hurdle
Synopsis
AIADMK rules don't provide for 'interim general secretary' post Election Commission sends notice to AIADMK regarding Sasikala's elevation 10 days after Jayalalithaa’s death, some party members got together and proposed Sasikala’s name as party General Secretary
On the other hand the Legislative Party Chief and AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala was busy gathering support from her MLAs and announced that her flock was rallying behind her. In the meanwhile, now the Election Commission of India has also put a roadblock in front of Sasikala saying that AIADMK rules don't provide for 'interim general secretary' post and has now sent a notice to the AIADMK asking how it all came to be.
O Panneerselvam has now added fuel to the fire by saying that "Someone chosen by the cadre should be the general secretary; one acceptable to the people should be the Chief Minister. It need not be me… I am prepared to stand alone and fight for this, I am ready for it."
Earlier Expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa had submitted a letter to the Election Commission on the “undemocratic nomination” of Sasikala Natarajan as the interim general secretary of AIADMK. The letter stated, “The point of reference for your consideration is that AIADMK did not follow the byelaws of the party while nominating Mrs Sasikala Natarajan as so-called general secretary of AIADMK party.”
Even AIADMK leader H. Pandiyan questioned the same and has said that “She was elected as the general secretary in a hotchpotch manner, however, by the blessings Jayalalithaa and M.G. Ramachandran, the swearing in ceremony of Sasikala did not take place.”
Also read: Sasikala beats odds to become AIADMK chief, but dangers lurk
Going by the AIADMK Constitution, in Section 30 it says that any party functionary contesting for the post of general secretary should have been in the party for five years continuously. Sasikala was previously expelled and then readmitted, which in a way tampers with her full five-year contention. It further adds that in case of absence of a general secretary, the general council appointed by the previous incumbent will continue to be in place.
Based on this, the EC has sent a notice to AIADMK seeking clarification on the election procedure and as of now, it seems going by the rules Sasikala’s election is not valid.
10 days after Jayalalithaa’s death, some party members got together and proposed Sasikala’s name as party General Secretary and AIADMK Spokesperson Ponnaiyan had said that “Electing Sasikala to lead AIADMK is the desire of the entire party. She has functioned as the conscience of Amma.”