OPS camp dismisses EPS leadership's process to pick bypoll nominee as sham

The rival camp led by deposed AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) on Sunday dismissed the process followed by the dominant Edappadi K Palaniswami-led (EPS) party leadership to choose the party nominee for the Februray 27 Erode (East) bypoll in Tamil Nadu as partisan, and said that it went against the Supreme Court's direction.

The Panneerselvam camp said they would contest the Palaniswami-led leadership's move on deciding the bypoll nominee (K S Thennarasu, a former MLA), a clear signal that the fight between the two sides is not likely to end soon.

Speaking to reporters, senior leader and noted loyalist of Panneerselvam, R Vaithilingam said the AIADMK presidium chairman Tamizh Magan Hussein has declared in party communication that Thennarasu is the official candidate for the bypoll. It is partisan as only the general council has to decide the candidate. Hussein has already taken a decision to name Thennarasu and it went against the Supreme Court direction in this regard, he said.

Also Read — AIADMK moves towards getting Two Leaves symbol

On February 3, the apex court had in an interim direction allowed Panneerselvam, popularly known as OPS, and his two loyalists, expelled along with him from the AIADMK last year, to take part in the general council meet to choose the party candidate for the bypoll.

OPS continues to claim that he is the party coordinator, the top post, and has taken matters related to expulsion to the court. The tussle between the dominant and opposing group continues to play out in the political and electoral arena with ally BJP trying to broker peace to take on the DMK-backed Congress in the bypoll. The bypoll to Erode (East) constituency is in the limelight due to the bickering between the two sides and the saffron party's efforts to make them accept a mutually agreeable united way forward.

The AIADMK, now principal opposition, was in power for a decade from 2011 to 2021. Vaithilingam, a former Minister, flanked by other leaders of the faction opposed to Palaniswami's leadership said that the names of prospective candidates should be proposed and seconded in the general council meet.

The candidate who has the backing of the majority would be chosen. Following this, when the person accepts the nomination, he or she becomes the official party candidate for election or bypoll. The official party papers sent by Hussein, however, does not offer scope for recommending the name of one or more nominees for the consideration of general council members. Hussein does not have authority to preempt others from exercising their right to offer their candidature for consideration by the party to contest polls, he said.

The presidium chairman is duty-bound to release the list of aspirants for party ticket and then positively consider the name of the contender who has the backing of the majority of general council. While this is the norm, sending the name of only one person as the official candidate (Thennarasu) and asking if that choice is 'accepted or not' is not the due process to select the party candidate for election.

"Instead of deciding the candidate, choosing a nominee and conducting a voting exercise is something the apex court itself would not have expected," Vaithilingam said. Hussein has functioned like an 'agent' of Palaniswami, he alleged. The papers sent by Palaniswami-led leadership to members include the 'voting paper,' for the purpose of endorsing or not supporting the candidature of Thennarasu.

Veteran leader Panruti Ramachandran, who is backing the OPS faction, said the process went against the law and hence they would not support it. "I should know who are all contesting." There is no secret ballot as well, he added. Hence, Ramachandran said they would be apprising competent authorities on the matter after taking legal advice. "We will go before the Constitutional authorities," another leader remarked.

Hussein along with former Minister C Ve Shanmugam -- loyalists of Palaniswami -- are likely to visit Delhi on February 6 and convey to the Election Commission the decision of the general council on the party's choice of Thennarasu, a former MLA, for the Erode bypoll.

The BJP on Saturday said it is keen on supporting the candidate nominated by AIADMK interim general secretary Palaniswami and that it has asked the Panneerselvam faction to support its decision for the bypoll.

While Palaniswami had already named Thennarasu as the AIADMK candidate, OPS had named Senthil Murugan as the nominee of his faction. Congress candidate is former Union Minister E V K S Elangovan.