Minutes after the AIADMK general council adopted a resolution expelling former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and three of his supporters from the party, Mr. Panneerselvam announced that he was expelling AIADMK leaders Edappadi K. Palaniswami and K. P. Munusamy from the primary membership of the party.
"Edappadi Palaniswami and K.P. Munusamy do not have any powers to remove me," Mr. Panneerselvam told journalists. He claimed he was the coordinator of the AIADMK, who was elected by 1.5 crore members of the party as per its bylaw
Mr. Panneerselvam, who was closeted with his supporters at the party headquarters when the announcement of his expulsion and those of Vaithilingam, JCD Prabakar and P.H. Manoj Pandian came after violent clashes at Royapettah in the morning, announced that he would approach the courts and seek justice.
In the morning, Mr. Panneerselvam entered the party headquarters at Royapattah in his campaign van amid violent clashes between his supporters and those of Mr. Palaniswami.
Mr. Panneerselvam's supporters ware also seen loading documents and other materials into his campaign van when the announcement of his expulsion came.
Minutes before the executive committee meeting began, Mr. Panneerselvam suffered the first setback of the morning when the Madras High Court refused to stay the general council meeting as sought by him.
