O. Panneerselvam

The SC verdict was seen as clearing the way for Palaniswami, engaged in a leadership tussle with rival O Panneerselvam, to be elevated to the organisation's top rank.

Justice N Sathish Kumar quashed the proceedings, while passing orders on the criminal original petitions from Palaniswami, the party’s interim general secretary and ousted leader O Panneerselvam (OPS).

Former Minister R B Udhayakumar was unanimously elected as AIADMK’s deputy leader in the Assembly, the party’s interim general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami said.

The development comes after Madras High Court allowed Tamil Nadu's main opposition party to hold its General Council meeting.

As EPS was honoured with a decorated crown, a sword and sceptre by supporters amid chants favouring him, OPS along with his supporters including Deputy Secretary R Vaithilingam moved out of the hall and left the premises.

Placing the Final Supplementary Estimates for Rs 21,172.82 crore, Panneerselvam, who holds the Finance portfolio said it includes various items of additional expenditure necessitated on government account in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and other urgent requirements.

The members said they "unanimously accept the announcement and will work hard to ensure victory" and bring Palaniswami back to the post after the elections.

During his visit, Panneerselvam took part in various engagements, met industrialists and senior officials from the World Bank. He also discussed the construction of low-cost houses using technology, according to an official release said.

Besides favourable business rankings, the state had good infrastructure like power supply, he told the America- India SME Council Investors Meet at Washington DC in the US on Thursday.

"Deputy chief minister Panneerselvam held discussions at the World Bank (hq) in Washington DC on November 13 on funding for schemes related to drinking water, housing and transport in Tamil Nadu," an official release said.

Election 2019 is the first in the state without the two Dravidian stalwarts and both the parties are slugging it out to continue their legacy, even as the likes of Kamal Haasan and T T V Dhinakaran plan to play spoilsport.

The board among others include Panneerselvam and party joint co-ordinator and Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

'A good, cordial decision will be taken in a day or two,' AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam told reporters here when asked whether an alliance between his party and the BJP was being firmed up.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam made the remarks in the assembly after the Congress asked the ruling party to assess its strength in the post-Jayalalithaa era.

The Opposition including Kamal Haasan named the closure of the Sterlite Copper plant the victory of the people. However, DMK's MK Stalin called the move a "mere eyewash" criticizing the government for its insensitivity and late response that caused 13 people their lives.

According to sources, the Election Commission has decided that the E Palaniwami-O Panneerselvam merged faction deserves the party symbol. Official confirmation is still awaited.

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are likely to arrive at the party headquarters here by noon and formalise the merger deal, party sources indicated.

Tamil Nadu has been insisting that it be given exemption from the National Entrance Cum Eligibility Test (NEET) for MBBS and BDS courses, with the state Assembly having adopted two bills in this regard.

Rajya Sabha MP R Vaithilingam will head the panel set up by the Palaniswami group, while the Panneerselvam camp has named senior leader and former minister KP Munusamy as the head of a seven-member committee. Former ministers C Ponnaiyan, R Viswanathan and K Pandiarajan, Rajya Sabha MP V Maithreyan, former MP TH Manoj Pandian and former MLA JCD Prabhakar were the other members.

"There was a consensus to delink the government and the party from TTV Dhinakaran and the family he belongs to. This is the view of the basic partymen, district secretaries, MLAs and Ministers," Finance Minister D Jayakumar told reporters after a "consultative" meeting chaired by Palaniswami and attended by several ministers.