The political scenario in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday witnessed hectic activity, with the general council of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Amma, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) meeting in the morning and passing several crucial resolutions, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam moving the Madras High Court seeking a floor test in the State Legislative Assembly.
Here are the updates:
3.15 pm: Sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran says he had undertaken efforts to “send home this regime”. “Betrayal has aligned with betrayal,” he observes in an apparent reference to the August 21 merger of the two factions led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.
3.00 pm: Mr. Dhinakaran terms the Tuesday general council meeting a ‘public meeting’.
2.10 pm: The Madras High Court to hear on October 10 DMK leader M.K. Stalin's plea challenging the floor test held in February.
1.40 pm: The High Court agrees to hear pleas of DMK leader M.K. Stalin and PMK's K. Balu, seeking a floor test in the Assembly, reports our correspondent S. Imranullah
1.20 pm: Mr. Stalin moves the Madras High Court seeking a floor test in the Assembly, reports our correspondent D. Suresh Kumar.
1.10 pm: Deputy Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam releases a statement on Twitter: "No one can divide and rule the party cadre & our unity is shown by AIADMK General Council meeting. The party cadre and functionaries to live upto the expectations of Puratchithalaivi Amma. Puratchithalaivar MGR and Puratchithalaivi Amma had ensured AIADMK rule in Tamilnadu for 27 years. I promise as a convenor, will discharge duties without any selfish motive."
12.50 pm: Resolution 10 passed at the general council meeting talks about running the party as a people's movement as per "Puratchi Thalaivi Amma's" desire as well as to make new appointments as per the cadre's wishes.
Resolution 11 talks about giving powers to the "coordinator" and the "co-coordinator" to run the administrative affairs of the party.
The following rules were amended: Rules 5, 19, 20, 22, 24,25,26,28,29, 30,34, 35,36,37, 38,39, 40,41, 42, 43, 44 and 45.
12.45 pm:
Updates of the resolutions made at the general council meeting start trickling in.
Resolution number 8 says, "The appointment of Sasikala as interim general secretary, soon after the shocking death of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, has been annulled, along with the appointments that Sasikala has made."
"The appointments made by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, whose activities have brought a bad name to Jayalalithaa's legacy and to the party, have been annulled," says Resolution 9.
12.20 pm: A total of 14 resolutions were adopted at the meeting. The bye-laws have been amended in an exhaustive way.
12.00 pm: According to an unverified statement from some party members, there are claims that the party's interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala has been expelled. Reports also claim that the post of the AIADMK general secretary has been abolished and that it would "always be held by Amma".
However, the party has not yet formally issued a statement.
11.45 am: Post unification of the camps led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and the one led by Mr. Panneerselvam, Mr. Dhinakaran and Mr. Palaniswami have been at loggerheads, with 19 MLAs owing allegiance to Mr. Dhinakaran meeting Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and seeking the removal of Mr. Palaniswami as Chief Minister, on August 22.
11.20 am: Journalists are not being allowed to witness the proceedings of the general council, in contrast to the practice followed at the time of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Journalists were allowed to remain at a smaller hall adjoining the larger hall, where the meeting is held, and they are being shown the proceedings through television screens placed there. Only a section of photographers are allowed to take pictures, after which police personnel virtually drive all mediapersons away.
A tent put up on the ground, meant for parking of vehicles, has been earmarked for the media, with no other facility provided to follow the proceedings of the general council.
11.10 am: B. Valarmathi, organising secretary, is the first to speak.
11.00 am: The Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and all senior leaders of the party are attending the meeting.
