Chennai, June 18 (BPNS)
The impasse in the main opposition AIADMK is continuing ahead of the party general council meeting scheduled for June 23 with O. Panneerselvam faction and Edappady K. Palaniswami faction keen that their leader emerge as the singe leader of the party.
It may be noted that while the post of opposition leader was granted to Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the party Chief Co-ordinator post was given to O. Panneerselvam. However the party has been under a dual leadership and several leaders have criticized this arrangement stating that AIADMK has lost its fighting spirit due to this dual arrangement.
Following wide spread criticism in all party forums it was decided to call the general council meeting of the party on June 23rd and to take a decision on the same. There are reports that a majority of party functionaries are supporting the candidature of Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the single leader of the party and that under him party would function unitedly .This suggestion was however not taken in their stride by those owing allegiance to O. Panneerselvam feeling that he may be sidelined.
The AIADMK has been in the throes of conflict between the second rung leaders close to both OPS and EPS and two power centres have already emerged in the party.
Meanwhile former Deputy Speaker in the Loksabha and senior leader of the party, S. Thambidurai has taken an initiative and met both OPS and EPS to reach a stalemate and sources in the party told IANS that this may work out positively.
O. Panneerselvam will be meeting his supporters at Chennai on Saturday ahead of the general council meeting and to garner support for him emerging as the single leader of the party. Another suggestion that has come up is to postpone the general council meeting and to find an alternate date to end the friction between the two sections.
