Palaniswami to file nomination for AIADMK General Secretary, workers gather at HQ

The AIADMK headquarters in Chennai was surrounded by a massive crowd of party workers ahead of former Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami's arrival.

Earlier Friday, AIADMK announced that the polls to elect the General Secretary will be held on March 26.

A release signed by the party's election officers R Vishwanathan and Pollachi Jeyaraman stated, "(The) General Secretary would be elected by Party primary members and from March 18 nomination begins. The last day for the nomination is March 19 and the scrutiny of the nomination is on March 20. On March 21 nominations can be withdrawn and on March 26 election would be held and on March 27 counting would happen."

"It is also noted that according to the AIADMK Party bylaw 20(A) section 2 Party General Secretary would be elected by the primary member of the party. And also Interested cadres can get the application from the party headquarters in Royapettah on payment of Rs 25,000," it read.

The AIADMK's interim general secretary, Palaniswami, is expected to be elected the general secretary unopposed.

Earlier in March, the Madras High Court refused to pass an interim order on a plea by former CM O Panneerselvam's confidante, Manoj Pandian, seeking an interim stay on the resolutions passed at the AIADMK General Council meeting on July 11 last year.

At the meeting, Palaniswami (EPS) was made the interim general secretary of the party.

Since the death of former chief minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary J Jayalalithaa, the party is alleged to have dual leadership, with OPS and EPS leading the AIADMK as coordinator and joint coordinator respectively.

However, recently, disputes arose between both leaders, with the EPS group pressing for single leadership. (ANI)