AIADMK polls from Dec 13-23, forms to be issued from today

CHENNAI: Opposition AIADMK on Thursday announced internal polls to party positions at ward and panchayat levels in rural and urban areas. A statement from the AIADMK headquarters announced that the organisational polls will be conducted from December 13 to December 23 and the nomination papers for the aspirants will be available from December 3.

The party also appointed former minister C Ponnaiyan and former deputy speaker Pollachi Jayaraman as the poll commissioners for the party. The statement issued by party coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami directed the district secretaries to collect the poll materials, forms and declaration certificates well in advance of the polls from party headquarters.

Political pundits see the move as step forward by the dual leadership OPS and EPS to strengthen the positions of coordinator and joint coordinator in the party. In the wake of ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala challenging the AIADMK leadership through legal petitions, the organisational polls assumes further significance.

As per AIADMK constitution, the party should hold elections for party

internal posts once in five years. It may be noted that the AIADMK had amended its bylaws giving the primary members the right to elect their leaders, including the party coordinator and joint coordinator through single vote system.

The AIADMK had recently issued fresh and renewed the membership cards for the party workers and only those with new and renewed cards will be entitled to participate in the party’s internal polls.