Palaniswami files supplementary application in SC, says party has come to a standstill

A supplementary application has been filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, saying the “vexatious and prejudicial acts” of his party colleague O. Panneerselvam has brought the AIADMK functioning to a “standstill”. The case is coming up for hearing before a Vacation Bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari. Mr. Palaniswami has challenged a Madras High Court Division Bench order restraining the AIADMK general council [held on June 23] from taking any decision which may pave the way for a “single leadership” of the party.  In his additional application which, he said, brought to light subsequent facts concerning the case, Mr. Palaniswami, represented by advocate Balaji Srinivasan, blamed Mr. Panneerselvam for “disrupting” the general council meeting on June 23 when the issue of single leadership was raised by the party cadre.  The application said Mr. Panneerselvam approached the police, asking them not to permit the meeting, and when this failed, he initiated court proceedings “so that the meeting will not go ahead and the party cadre will not be able to express their intention”. “This situation spilt over to even the political functions of the party. In the bypolls to the local bodies in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK was unable to set up its candidates, as the second respondent (Panneerselvam) did not cooperate with the functioning of the party,” the application said.  It alleged that Mr. Panneerselvam, whom it described as “former coordinator” of the party as well as the treasurer, had not issued the payments for the salaries and other expenses of the party.