The AIADMK’s deposed coordinator, O. Panneerselvam, on Saturday announced that he and his supporters would work for the success of ‘two leaves’, the AIADMK’s symbol, in the Erode (East) Assembly byelection.
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In a statement, he said the Supreme Court had enabled the party to contest the byelection.
“An opportunity has arisen for contesting the byelection together,” he said, recalling his earlier statements that he would not be the cause for the symbol to be frozen and he was prepared to sign on nomination documents as the coordinator.
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His statement was read out by his group’s joint coordinator and MLA, R. Vaithilingam, at a press conference here.
By allowing him and three others to cast their votes at the proposed general council, the court had given a “fitting lesson” to those who had, “out of enmity”, been saying that he was no longer in the party.
It did not “grant any stay” on his continuation as the party coordinator. At the same time, the court and the Election Commission had “not recognised” Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the interim general secretary, the post he had assumed at the contested general council meeting in July last, Mr. Panneerselvam contended.
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Mr. Vaithlingam made it clear that the group would support anyone who would contest on the symbol of ‘two leaves’. He reiterated that the group remained firm on its position, challenging the validity of the general council meeting held last year.
He replied in the negative to a question whether he had received any communication from the AIADMK’s presidium chairman, Tamilmagan Hussain, seeking him to cast his vote.
The political adviser to the Panneerselvam group, Panruti S. Ramachandran, said, “We have to wait and see whether they [Mr. Palaniswami’s camp] will seek our views or not.”
He explained that Mr. Hussain’s position, under the given circumstances, was like a commissioner appointed by the court. Mr. Ramachandran added that the group supported the court’s order, as most of its points had been accepted.