AIADMK general council meeting: Sasikala, Dhinakaran booted out, Jayalalithaa to be eternal general secretary

The AIADMK has finally passed the resolution to kick Sasikala out as the general secretary of AIADMK. The decision was taken at the general council meeting by the party on Tuesday, September 12, at their headquarters in Royapettah, Chennai.

The party has also passed the resolution to boot out Sasikala’s nephew and AIADMK’s deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran from the post. All appointments and decisions taken by Dhinakaran stands null and void.

All announcements of TTV Dinakaran are not binding on the party:RB Udaykumar,TN Min reads out resolution at #AiadmkGeneralCouncil

— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2017

The party has decided that former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will remain the eternal general secretary of the party. All the office bearers appointed by ‘Amma’, as she is popularly called, shall continue to hold their posts.

According to various reports, out of the 2400-odd members of the general council, 2148 attended the meeting. That is around 90% of the total strength of the council.

An 11-member committee will now hold the powers of the general secretary. Panneerselvam has been made the head of the coordination committee while Palaniswamy is the co-coordinator of the party.

AIADMK has also ratified the changes in by-laws to incorporate these resolutions. The AIADMK has also decided to unify under the two-leaves symbol.

AIADMK to be unified faction&we will retrieve 'two leaves' party symbol: RB Udaykumar,TN Min reads out resolution at #AiadmkGeneralCouncil

— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2017

Earlier, on Monday, September 11, the madras High Court had dismissed a petition filed by a Dhinakaran supporter, MLA S Vetrivel, asking the court to stop the EPS-OPS camps from conducting the General Council meeting. 

The resolutions were read by party leader R B Udaykumar.

Dhinakaran too had said that if a new Chief Minister was not chosen then he will topple the EPS government. He also called the general council meeting illegal.

"This is the betrayal of Chinaamma (Sasikala). The man who was made the CM by Sasikala has betrayed us. How can these people work for the people of Tamil Nadu. I am listening to the heart of cadres and people of Tamil Nadu who long for the return of Amma's rule. It was on December 31 that OPS and EPS made her the general secretary of AIADMK. Cadres do not want them (OPS and EPS) in power, " TTV Dhinakaran said  to reporters.

The resolution also states that Rs 15 crore will be allocated to build a memorial for Amma and also to convert her Poes Garden residence to a museum.

However, the resolutions passed will be subjected to scrutiny by the Madras High Court on October 23. Only after the HC passes its decision can the resolutions have a legal effect. So there is a chance yet for Sasikala.