Palaniswami calls key meet amid AIADMK Rebellion

Chennai AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has called a crucial meeting of party district secretaries on November 1 as he seeks to consolidate his leadership amid electoral setbacks and growing internal dissent. The meeting, scheduled at the party headquarters in Chennai, is seen as a significant test of Palaniswami’s authority ahead of the mandatory year-end General Council meeting. The party’s position has weakened following its third-place finish in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections earlier this month. The rise of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has added to the AIADMK’s challenges, intensifying concerns among party leaders over its political direction. Senior functionaries, including former ministers C Ve Shanmugam and S P Velumani, have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the current leadership’s strategy and called for discussions on recent political developments. The party is also facing dissent within its legislative ranks. According to sources, a group of AIADMK MLAs who supported the TVK government during a trust vote on May 13 is considering approaching the Assembly Speaker to seek recognition as a separate group. In response, Palaniswami has reshuffled district-level party functionaries, replacing some leaders with loyalists in an apparent effort to strengthen his support among district secretaries, who play an influential role in the General Council. The November 1 meeting is expected to set the agenda for the party’s Executive Committee and General Council meetings, which must be held by December. Discussions may include disciplinary action against expelled leaders and the possibility of reconciliation with dissenters. A party statement has directed all district secretaries to attend the meeting without fail.