Tamil Nadu
TTV Dhinakarann released a paper from the party letter head stating that he has removed CM E Palaniswamy (EPS) from the post of Salem District Secretary. However this has not bothered EPS who believes that Dhinakaran's appointment as AIADMK Deputy General Secretary is subject to Election Commission's validation.
#TTV in 'tit-for-tat' mode, sacks #eps from party post (#AIADMK district Secy, #Salem). @ANN_Newsable pic.twitter.com/hJQr3ofwu6
— Asianet Newsable (@ANN_Newsable) August 27, 2017
Ever since J Jayalalithaa's death on December 5, the AIADMK party leaders are busy sacking those who oppose the various factions, each camp claiming the other one is invalid.
Currently, TTV Dhinakaran's efforts to pull MLAs to his side is worrying EPS and O Panneerselvam camp but his pressure tactics with resort politics and termination letters have very little bearing on them.
The resignation of members from party posts will hold any effect following Election Commission's verdict on Sasikala and Dinakaran's appointment to their respective posts.
If the EC decides that Sasikala's appointment as the AIADMK General Secretary and Dinakaran as the Deputy general Secretary is legal, then all those who they have sacked till now will be forced to step down from their respective posts. But if their appointment is not valid as Sasikala is just the interim chief of the party, then all the leaders will continue in their respective posts, providing a huge relief to EPS and OPS too.
Currently, party sources say that Sasikala is the interim chief and Dinakaran in appointed by her. Even Sasikala's appointment was not done according to party by-laws, say sources. Only when her post is declared null and void by the EC, the General Council of the party can convene a meeting to hold an election (with ministers, legislators, workers and cadres) and acquire a new General Secretary. When Sasikala's post itself is in question, how can Dinakaran's (who was appointed by Sasikala) decision be considered legal?
At one point after Jayalalithaa's death, Sasikala declared that she is the AIADMK chief and elevated Palaniswamy to the Chief Minister's post (after keeping the majority leaders allegedly locked in the resort till they agreed to her decision). All this to battle Panneerselvam, the acting Chief Minister who rebelled against her.
Following Sasikala's conviction, Dinakaran was announced as the deputy general secretary of the party by Sasikala. She even expelled Madhusudhanan from the post of Presidium Chairman as he was supporting Panneerselvam.
However, Madhusudhanan in return had expelled Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, party's Propaganda Secretary and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, Rajya Sabha MP A Navaneethakrishnan and state ministers C Srinivasan, P Thangamani, C Ve Shanmugam, K Raju and R B Uthayakumar, among others.
However, later E Palaniswamy won the trust vote and formed the government, keeping Madhusudhanan away from the party. But with current developments where Palaniswamy and rebel Panneerselvam and his associates have joned hands together, TTV Dinakaran and Sasikala have become a major threat to the government, holding 20 MLAs on their side.
Dinakaran on August 23 had sacked four ministers 10 district secretaries, and several functionaries from their party posts. He also replaced them with his loyalists.
However, technically there are more than one person in charge of ministry and various posts in the government. But as Palaniswamy is the chief minister, those appointed by him also seem to be continuing in office.
Especially with Sasikala in jail currently, her post is clearly vulnerable.
Unless the Election Commission gives its verdict on the validity of the post of Sasikala and Dinakaran, this problem of having multiple persons for one post will not be solved. However, it doesn't look like the EC is in any mood to solve the matter anytime soon.
#EPS-#TTV match score 1-1. After EPS declared #Dhinakaran appointment null and void, now TTV sacks EPS as #AIADMK Salem district secretary
— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) August 27, 2017