E Palaniswami (centre) has challenged O Panneerselvam.
For the first time, AIADMK's influential leader Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday bluntly told his rival O Panneerselvam that he is not the party's coordinator any more and slammed him for trying to scuttle the June 23 General Council meet convened by both of them.
Writing to Mr Panneerselvam (OPS), Mr Palaniswami (EPS) said the GC meet held here days ago did not endorse the amendments made to party bylaws made on December 1, 2021 and hence his post of Coordinator ceased to exist. This is the first time EPS has openly said that his rival does not hold the top party post.
Following the GC meet held here amid chaos, EPS camp had declared that the top two party posts of Coordinator (OPS) and Joint Coordinator (EPS) had become defunct since it was not recognised by the General Council. OPS and EPS continued to hold on to their posts of treasurer and headquarters secretary alone, the Palaniswami camp had said.
After tweaking party bylaws, OPS and EPS were last year elected unopposed as party's Coordinator and Joint Coordinator respectively. EPS's letterhead mentioned his post as 'party headquarters secretary'. EPS in his letter addressed OPS as party's 'treasurer'.
Citing OPS's letter dated June 29, asking him to send the nomination papers of party nominees for local polls so that he could counter-sign them, EPS pointed out that the last date to file papers was June 27. Polls are scheduled to be held next month to fill casual vacancies in a clutch of local bodies.
Though OPS was duly apprised of the June 27 meeting of top office-bearers, he 'ignored' the meeting. Hence, OPS's letter was not acceptable, Palaniswami, who heads the dominant party faction told his rival in the letter.
Pointing to OPS writing to police and approaching courts to stop the June 23 AIADMK GC meet, Mr Palaniswami said in view of such activities to hamper the party's functioning, Mr Panneerselvam's letter was unacceptable. EPS underscored that the GC meet had been convened by them together.