OPS for dual leadership in AIADMK, makes friendly gesture towards EPS

Chennai, Aug 18 AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) on Thursday extended a hand of friendship to his opponent Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), a day after a single bench of the Madras High Court cancelled the July 11 general council meeting of the party in which he was expelled from the party along with his close associates.

Speaking to mediapersons at Chennai, OPS said that Palaniswami was his 'dear brother' and let 'bygones be bygones'. He said that the joint leadership of the party was advocated to take the party forward after the demise of former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary, J. Jayalalithaa.

He said that after the passing away of 'Amma', Palaniswami had become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and they had travelled extensively together.

He said that the 1.5 crore strong cadre of the AIADMK want the rule of MGR and J. Jayalalithaa in the state and for that, the party should stand united. He called upon Palaniswami to unitedly fight against the present rulers and to throw them out.

However, EPS has already moved the division bench of the Madras High Court against the single bench order and in his petition has categorically stated that the single bench order was against the party's general council meeting. He stated that the court was interfering in the internal affairs of the party.

Meanwhile, sources in the OPS camp told that the former Chief Minister has already commenced talks with the Thevar community leadership of South Tamil Nadu for a probable alliance with V.K. Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran and not to split the Thevar votes.

The second bench of the Madras High Court will be hearing the case on August 22 and sources in the AIADMK told that both the OPS and EPS camps are waiting eagerly for the verdict.

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