With the Madras high court on Monday giving the go ahead for the crucial General Council meet of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappady K Palaniswami is all set to be made the party's single supreme leader, with his dominant faction having already announced that the powerful General Secretary post will be revived today.
Late CM J Jayalalithaa held the post till her death in December 2016.
Soon after the HC greenflag on Monday, the AIADMK Executive Council meet went underway at a wedding hall, while the General Council set to follow.
While the AIADMK party office, MGR Maaligai and its vicinity saw some acrimonious scenes -- clash between suspected supporters of EPS and OPS and unidentified persons breaking the doors to gain entry into the office,
Panneerselvam arrived at the office with his supporters while his rival Palaniswami headed to the wedding hall, hosting the meet, in a different direction.
Holding that the court cannot interfere into the squabbles of a political party, the HC rejected OPS' plea to stay the conduct of the general council meeting.
Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy delivered the verdict, which allowed the EPS faction to hold the GC meet, the supreme decision making body of the party
After hearing the lengthy arguments of the senior counsels for either sides, Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy on July 8 reserved the orders for today.
The judge also dismissed another suit challenging the GC meeting.
The meeting can be conducted in accordance with the law, the judge said.
Earlier, two groups, suspected to be supporters of either leaders and carrying AIADMK flags clashed with each other, with TV visuals showing some persons hurling stones at each other and some damaging vehicles parked nearby.
A few posters and banners in the party office were damaged.
Some persons reportedly sustained injuries in the clash.
Meanwhile, some men were seen forcing their way into the party office by breaking open the doors. Security has been beefed up at the AIADMK office.
Later, Panneerselvam arrived at the AIADMK office, flanked by his supporters including R Vaithilingam and Manoj Pandian.
Panneerselvam greeted his supporters from a portico and also waved the party flag, amid chants of "Ayya OPS vazhga" (hail OPS sir) slogans by his supporters.
