Amid rumblings for single leader, AIADMK to stick to dual mode

Amid rumblings for a single leader to head the party, the ruling AIADMK on Wednesday said status quo will prevail and Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam will jointly continue to steer the outfit.

Senior AIADMK leader R Vaithilingam and State Ministers D Jayakumar and K T Rajendra Balaji said it has been decided that the present arrangement which gave full powers in the party to Palaniswami and Panneerselvam will continue.

A party resolution, meanwhile, greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his poll win and for taking over as the premier for the second consecutive term.

The AIADMK also expressed its happiness for the opportunity to the party to second the candidature of Modi for the Prime Minister's post at the NDA meet.

After deliberating on the question of leadership for about two hours at a specially convened meet here, the party vowed to win the civic polls that are expected shortly and start working for it immediately.

"The dual mode of leadership will continue to be on...there is no change in it," Vaithilingam, a senior leader and deputy coordinator of the party told reporters emerging from the meeting at party headquarters.

"There is no question of election to the post of general secretary now," he added.

While the AIADMK, which delved into aspects like the leadership question, the party performance in the polls in its meet reportedly mulled broadbasing the power structure in the party by forming a panel.

However, there was no official word on it.

The AIADMK convened a meet of its seniors, MPs, MLAs and Ministers, days after MLAs V V Rajan Chellappa and R T Ramachandran urged the party leadership to go in for a single leader following the party's dismal performance in the Lok Sabha polls.

Jayakumar said there was no issue or problem in respect to the question of who should lead the party.

He said "status quo" will be maintained; the Chief Minister and his deputy will continue to helm the AIADMK.

Downplaying the leadership issue, he said Wednesday's meeting was a routine affair to take stock of the situation following the general elections.

Asked if a pre-poll tie up with the BJP was an issue, he said it was "not an issue at all."