ECI Approves Edappadi Palaniswami As General Secretary Of AIADMK

Earlier, AIADMK leaders Natham R Viswanathan and Pollachi V Jayaraman declared Palaniswami as General Secretary of the party on March 28.

EPS is a 'strongman of Salem'

The Election Commission of India approved Edappadi K Palaniswami as the general secretary of AIADMK. Earlier, AIADMK leaders Natham R Viswanathan and Pollachi V Jayaraman declared Palaniswami as General Secretary of the party on March 28. Later, AIADMK informed ECI about the election of the office bearers. The ECI has recently uploaded the documents submitted by Palaniswami on the ECI website. Thus, providing approval for his election.

Before his appointment as General Secretary of AIADMK, Edappadi Palaniswami held the post of interim general secretary of the party.

The Election Commission of India approves Edappadi K Palaniswami as the general secretary of AIADMK.

(File pic) pic.twitter.com/3EcP1F8KZ5

— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2023

 

EPS was elected after Madras HC gave a judgment favouring the election. Madras High Court rejected interim applications filed by O Paneerselvam and his supporters seeking a stay on AIADMK general secretary polls.

The appointment of EPS put an end to the leadership row. 

The leadership issue started in AIADMK after the death of Jayalalithaa in 2016. After Jaya's demise, OPS and Sasikala tried to take over the party and CM post. However, EPS became the CM. Later, EPS removed Sasikala from the party in 2017. 

After EPS and OPS entered into a settlement, OPS served as the coordinator of AIADMK. In 2022, EPS ousted OPS to become the General Secretary of the party. 

As per ECI's documents, AIADMK has 79 headquarters office-bearers, 75 district secretaries and 375 district office-bearers, said a report on New Indian Express.

EPS is a 'strongman of Salem'. EPS was handpicked by ousted leader VK Sasikala to become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after O Panneerselvam held a 'Dharma Yudham' against her and her family members. EPS was sworn-in as the CM with the support of Sasikala on February 17, 2017.