Split In Aiadmk Formalised

Even as the Madras High Court restrained expelled AIADMK leader Thirunavukkarasu from implementing the decisions taken at the general council meeting convened by him, and the party executive convened by Jayalalitha ratified his expulsion, he was elected as the party general secretary by the requisitioned general council meeting convened by him, formalising the split in the party.

Soon after his election, Thirunavukkarasu claimed that his faction was the real AIADMK, as more than 600 of the 800 elected general council members participated in yesterdays meeting. The meeting expelled Jayalalitha from the primary membership of the party for anti-party activities.

He told reporters that he would be filing a petition with the election commission soon, seeking to recognise his group as the AIADMK and allot the partys popular two leaves symbol to his faction.

Thirunavukkarasu, who had convened the meeting at 10 am, had advanced it by three hours, as the hearing in the civil suit filed by Jayalalitha seeking a direction from the Madras High Court to restrain Thirunavukkarasu from conducting the meeting, was scheduled to be heard early in the day.

The general council, after revoking expulsions of S Muthusamy, S D Somasundaram, S Kannappan, P Kolandaivelu, K K S S Ramchandran and other senior leaders, elected Muthusamy as the chairman of the party and Kannappan as the working president in a newly created post.

K K S S Ramachandran was elected as the joint general secretary, C Aranganayagam, the deputy chairman, and K Ponnusamy as treasurer. Thirunavukkarasu also appointed other office bearers.

He said more party leaders would come to his party fold after Sasikala, who had been released on bail, joined Jayalalitha.

He had definite information that Sasikala would return to Jayalalithas residence today, he said.

Sasikalas friendship with Jayalalitha was attributed as one of the main reason for the AIADMKs poll debacle in the last elections.

Jayalalitha had disowned her, but had been contending that it was only an eye wash.