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The Madras high court on Wednesday ordered status quo as of June 23 over the conduct of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's July 11 General Council, in effect rendering the meet, which among others picked Edappady K Palaniswami (EPS) as its chief, invalid.
Though the HC ruling was being seen as a setback to the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, EPS' supporters insisted it was not so and informed that the next course of action would be decided after going through the detailed order.
O Panneerselvam, the rival AIADMK leader who was 'expelled' from the party at the July 11 GC meet, said the ruling showed nobody can "usurp" a political party and that the judiciary and God will not allow that.
On Wednesday, Justice G Jayachandran ordered for status quo as on June 23, in effect rendering as invalid the July 11 GC meeting.
The general council, AIADMK's highest decision-making body, 'expelled' Panneerselvam and some of his associates from the party amid his leadership tussle with Palaniswami, who was picked as the interim general secretary of the party by the GC members last month.
The judge held that the co-ordinator and the joint co-ordinator alone shall convene the GC meeting. He also suggested nomination of an observer to conduct the meeting.
The court was passing orders on the civil suits from Panneerselvam and GC member Vairamuthu.
Later, the counsel appearing for Panneerselvam informed that the court has said the Coordinator and Joint Coordinator posts, held by OPS and Palaniswami, respectively earlier, "had not lapsed".
The June 23 GC meet, convened jointly by the two leaders earlier, had announced that the one and only demand of the GC members is to bring in a system of a single leadership for the party, favouring Palaniswami, also known as EPS. The July 11 GC meet subsequently picked him as the interim general secretary, while showing OPS and some of his supporters, the door.
Responding to the court verdict, Panneerselvam said he trusted dharma, the judiciary, party workers and the people "who believe truth and dharma are by my side."
"This verdict proves justice, dharma, party workers, people and especially the Almighty will not accept usurping a political party by force, let alone someone's house," he said in a statement.
Those who show scant regard for party laws formulated by its founder, the late chief minister M G Ramachandran, will be defeated, he said. The AIADMK, by virtue of its unity, will now grow to be an iron fortress that cannot be breached, he added.
"I will now take along the 1.5 crore party workers who believe Amma (the late CM J Jayalalithaa) is the permanent general secretary," he added.
Meanwhile, the Palaniswami camp insisted it was not a setback for the former CM.
Senior leader and former minister K P Munsusamy said the party high command will respond in detail after perusing the order copy of today's ruling.
The general councils held on June 23 and July 11 were done properly like the days of the late Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa.
All the general council members present in both meets "unanimously adopted the resolutions" at the respective sessions, he told reporters.
"No question arises," was his response when asked if the HC order was a setback for Palaniswami.
"If there are 2600-odd GC members, 2562 of them have accepted Palaniswami as the chief. The GC members are elected by the party's grassroots level workers and functionaries and enjoy all powers.
Such persons had unanimously accepted the (interim) general secretary (EPS)," he said.
The court's order for status quo will be discussed on how to be taken forward, he added.
Panneerselvam's supporters celebrated the court ruling by bursting crackers.