Supreme Court allow EPS to continue as a chief of AIADMK

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a Madras high court order allowing Edappadi K Palaniswami to continue as interim general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, establishing his position as the single, supreme leader of the party.

A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheswari and Hrishikesh Roy, which had reserved judgment on the matter on January 12, dismissed the petitions filed by O Panneerselvam.

"We have upheld the order of the Division Bench of the high court dated September 2, 2022 and made our earlier interim order permanent

We have not dealt with the matter of resolutions before the party that were being heard by the single judge. We leave it open for the said resolutions to be dealt with in accordance in law," the bench said.

The judgment came on batch of pleas concerning amendments made to party bylaws during the July 11, 2022 general council meeting, which elected Palaniswami, or EPS as he is known, as its single leader while expelling his rival Panneerselvam and some of his aides.

The division bench quashed the August 17 order of Justice G Jayachandran, which ordered maintenance of status-quo ante as of June 23 -- when Panneerselvam was coordinator and Palaniswami joint coordinator.

In Chennai, celebrations broke out at the AIADMK headquarters after news of the Supreme Court ruling came in.

Amid increased police presence at MGR Maaligai, the headquarters of the AIADMK, EPS supporters burst crackers and poured milk on a cutout of him.

Senior AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar said that in the battle between the 'Pandavas' and 'Kauravas', it is the former who win in an apparent reference to the Mahabharatha epic.

He also termed the SC ruling as a historic verdict.

Asked what Paneerselvam's political future would be, Jayakumar gestured a 'zero'.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is a regional political party in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The party was founded by M.G. Ramachandran (popularly known as MGR) in 1972 as a breakaway faction of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), another major political party in the state.

The AIADMK is a party that champions the cause of Tamil nationalism and regional pride, and has historically drawn support from the rural and urban poor in Tamil Nadu. The party has a strong following among the Nadar, Thevar, and Gounder communities in the state.

The AIADMK has been in power several times in Tamil Nadu, and has had a significant impact on the state's politics and policies over the years. The party has also had a turbulent history, marked by internal power struggles and factionalism, which have sometimes led to splits in the party.

Currently, the AIADMK is led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021. The party is a major player in the state's politics and continues to be a strong contender in the assembly elections.

Ideology:

AIADMK's ideology is based on Tamil nationalism and regional pride. The party seeks to promote the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu and has been a strong advocate for the rights of Tamils in India and Sri Lanka. The party also espouses social justice and has been a champion of the rights of Dalits and other marginalized communities in Tamil Nadu.

The party's symbol is two leaves, which is meant to symbolize the two leaders who founded the party - MGR and Jayalalithaa.

Election performance:

The AIADMK has been a major player in Tamil Nadu's politics for several decades and has won several state assembly elections. The party was last in power in the state from 2016 to 2021, with Edappadi K. Palaniswami serving as the Chief Minister.

The party has faced stiff competition from other regional parties in the state, including the DMK and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). However, it continues to be a major contender in the state's politics and has a significant presence in the state assembly.