AIADMK row: Supreme court tells Madras high court to make fresh decision

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Madras high court to adjudicate afresh upon the pleas of the O Panneerselvam faction of the AIADMK against the July 11 general council meeting, in which Edappadi K Palaniswami was elected party interim general secretary, in three weeks. The court also directed the rival factions to maintain status quo with regard to the party's affairs. Agencies
In balancing act, Modi meets OPS before leaving Chennai
CHENNAI: Maintaining a balance with the warring AIADMK groups, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shook hands with former chief minister O Panneerselvam before leaving Chennai. On Thursday, his rival and AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami greeted the PM on his arrival at the Chennai airport.
The exchanges between OPS and Modi at the city airport lasted barely a few seconds. "The PM enquired about my health. I replied I was fine," OPS told reporters. He interacted with Modi around the time that the Supreme Court heard his plea challenging the July 11 general council meeting, endorsing Palaniswami's leadership. "Dharma will triumph," OPS told reporters later. The rival camp on Friday released a photograph of Palaniswami greeting Modi on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, in a private session with state BJP functionaries on Thursday night, Modi exhorted them "to be with the people" and "tell them the schemes being implemented by his government" for the welfare of Tamils with a special emphasis on his party's growth in Tamil Nadu.
In his session with state BJP core committee members, Modi is said to have spoken highly about the rich Tamil language and culture and sought to know the reach of his welfare programmes in the state. The OPS camp is jubilant about its leader meeting Modi. The Lok Sabha secretariat has not decided about treating Panneerselvam's son and AIADMK MP P Ravindhranath as unattached member as per Palaniswami's request soon after expelling him from the primary membership of the party. The Tamil Nadu assembly secretariat too is yet to decide on OPS and his two MLAs, who were expelled from AIADMK.
The BJP camp has sought to distance itself from the AIADMK's power struggle with senior functionaries dismissing it as the "internal affairs" of an ally. "As a party, we must grow, and we aren't concerned about others. It is not in the purview of the BJP. Let them decide their course of action. We have no role to play," said a senior leader.
Interestingly, when Modi was in town, the OPS camp made a strong pitch for his leadership by advertising in TOI, his achievements besides "desires of certain groups to monopolize the party". The advertorial was titled 'A true loyalist of Puratchi Thalaivi... Truth Alone triumphs'.