Chennai: The legislature party meeting of the main Opposition AIADMK was convened today at the party head office in Royapettah to elect the Deputy Leader of Opposition and the Party Whip, ahead of the Assembly session beginning on 21 June.
The meeting took place at a time when there is said to be a rift between Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and the party’s coordinator O Panneerselvam and amid expelled general secretary V K Sasikala’s efforts to make a comeback into the party.
All the MLAs were asked to attend the meeting by carrying their MLA identity cards, wearing face masks and following the social distancing norms.
None of the AIADMK cadres and functionaries other than the MLAs were allowed entry.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of a series of audio clips going viral in the social media in which Sasikala hinted at her return to politics and guide the party on the path shown by late leader J Jayalalithaa.
The earlier meeting of MLAs held last month had elected former Chief Minister and AIADMK joint coordinator Palaniswami as Legislature party leader and also as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.