CHENNAI: The sacking spree continued on Friday with factional leaders of the AIADMK Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam issuing press releases expelling rival leaders. OPS expelled 44 more functionaries, including 14 former ministers and district secretaries from the primary membership of the party. In the evening, AIADMK interim general secretary Palaniswami responded, sacking 20 functionaries besides Kanyakumari district MGR Mandram former secretary Nanjil N S Golappan, whose telephone conversation, allegedly with a senior leader, went viral.
In a statement, OPS said the functionaries had acted against the party principles and brought disrepute to the party. “The partymen should not have any truck with them,” OPS said. His sons, Theni MP P Ravindhranath and V P Jayapradeep were expelled by EPS on Thursday night. Taking to Twitter, the lone AIADMK MP in Lok Sabha said his victory in the general election was due to the blessings of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the ‘joker group’ had no authority to remove him. He accused the opponents of going against the party principles and said it was time to bid adieu to them.
Former minister and EPS supporter D Jayakumar said OPS was “mentally disturbed” by the expulsion. He had no authority to expel the members since EPS was elected as interim general secretary by an overwhelming majority of the general council
