Chennai, Jul 11 (IANS): The AIADMK general council meeting held on Monday, passed a resolution and appointed former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami (EPS) as its interim general secretary. The party general council also moved resolutions to abolish the dual leadership structure in the party which was in effect in the AIADMK since the demise of J. Jayalalithaa but for a brief period, the close aide of the late Chief Minister became the interim general secretary.

With the abolition of the posts of coordinator and co-coordinator held respectively by O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and K. Palaniswamy (EPS), the posts of interim general secretary have come back into the functioning of AIADMK.

Meanwhile, the party general council adopted a resolution to expel former Chief Minister and former coordinator of the party O. Panneerselvam (OPS), and his close associates R. Vaithyalingam, Manoj Pandian, and JCD Prabhakar from the primary membership of the party.

In an immediate reaction, OPS also expelled both Palaniswami and K.P. Munisamy from the party.

While EPS having been appointed as the party interim general secretary has all the powers according to the party constitution, OPS will not be in a similar position to expel EPS and the expulsion of OPS and his associates will remain valid.

OPS is a leader who has been with the AIADMK in its thick and thin and had stood behind Jayalalithaa like a rock in her time of crisis.

The AIADMK headquarters on Monday witnessed clashes between the supporters of OPS and EPS with many injured and the cadres were dispersed with the arrival of the police.