Chennai, Feb 23 (IANS): AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami (EDP) has welcomed the Supreme Court judgement allowing him to continue as the interim general secretary of the party.

Speaking to media persons, EPS said that he got a positive victory due to the blessings of M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa.

Palaniswami said, "I could not sleep last night as was scared about the verdict. However, the judgement of the apex court is in our favour and it's due to the blessings of M.G.R. and Jayalalithaa, our leaders."

He was doubtful about the SC judgement and was rejoiced at the verdict. EPS recalled Jayalalithaa's statement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that the AIADMK would rule the state for 100 years and that the Supreme Court verdict has set the tone for it.

The AIADMK returning to single leadership will give a boost to the party and the party leadership expect that the party would win the Erode East by-elections.

In a related development senior leader and former minister D.Jayakumar said that all AIADMK leaders except O.Panneerselvam, V.K.Sasikala and T.T.V. Dhinakaran were welcome to the party fold.

He also said that AIADMK was a party of common people and not a family party in a veiled reference to DMK.

It is to be noted that the Supreme Court had on Thursday given a judgment in favour of EPS stating that he can continue as the party interim general secretary.

The court also upheld the July 11,2022 resolution of the party in which the dual leadership mode of AIADMK ended.

A single bench of the Madras High Court had nullified the July 11 resolutions and ordered status quo ante. However, a division bench of the Madras HC had on September 2, 2022 set aside the single bench judges order against which OPs had moved Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices Dhinesh Maheshwari and Nishikant Roy on February 23, upheld the July 11 General council meeting of the AIADMK and the resolutions passed ending dual leadership in the party.