He expressed happiness as he came to the post 'not based on birth' but was democratically elected as the party's supreme leader.
AIADMK election commissioners Pollachi V Jayaraman and Natham R Viswanathan hand over the winner's certificate in the general secretary elections to E Palaniswami in Chennai on Tuesday, 28 March. (Supplied)
Newly elected AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday, 2 April, said his elevation to the post showed the “last man” could become a stakeholder in the hierarchy.
He expressed happiness as he came to the post “not based on birth” but was democratically elected as the party’s supreme leader.
In a thanksgiving message days after being elected unanimously as the party chief, the state Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly thanked all those who backed him and paid his tributes to late party leaders — founder MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.
Recalling his initial days as a branch secretary in Salem, he said the party had recognised his “work and honesty and made me the general secretary”.
EPS added in a statement: “This is not merely a recognition for me; it is a recognition given by our party to democracy. It is a moment where the party has shown that the last man in the country has a share in power.”
He continued: “I am proud that I have assumed the responsibility as the general secretary of a party that decides the leadership on the basis of democracy and not based on birth.”
He vowed to strive towards ensuring the party-led government again.
Edappadi K Palaniswami was sworn in as the third general secretary of the AIADMK on 28 March, as the Madras High Court held that there were no legal impediments in electing him as the General Secretary of the party.
Minutes after the Madras High Court dismissed the petitions challenging the election of the AIADMK general secretary, the party headquarters declared that Palaniswami was elected as its general secretary.
The Madras High Court dismissed the interlocutory petitions challenging the election of the general secretary of the AIADMK and also the resolutions passed by the general council meeting held on 11 July, 2022.
Dismissing the petitions filed by O Panneerselvam, PH Arvindh Pandian, R Vaithilingam and JCD Prabhakar, Justice K Kumaresh Babu held that he found no reasons to interfere in the general council meeting that was held last year.
“I do not find any prima facie case, the balance of convenience or irreparable injury in favour of the applicants, but on the other hand, I find that the injunction as prayed for is granted, an irreparable injury would be caused to the first respondent (Palaniswami) as it would affect the functioning of the political party which has over 1.55 crores primary members in the State of Tamil Nadu,” the judge said.
“I already found there is a prima facie case in favour of respondents (EPS unit) in amending bye-laws; if the election is to be injuncted, it would affect the functioning of the party, recognized by the Election Commission of India without having a leader,” he added
The petitioners had challenged the special resolution that terminated them from the party and also the amendment made to revive the post of general secretary as well as the conditions to contest in the election.
(With PTI inputs)
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