Chennai,  Close on the heels of AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) visiting the party headquarters, the deposed coordinator of the party, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and leaders close to him on Friday sought police protection to enter the party office.

J.C.D. Prabhakar, a close associate of OPS, has petitioned the Royapettah police station for police protection for his leader and close associates for entering the party headquarters. In his petition, Prabhakar mentioned that anti-social elements and rowdies might create nuisance and trigger violence during his visit.

On July 11 during the AIADMK general council meeting held at Vanagaram on the outskirts of Chennai, there was a clash between the supporters of OPS and EPS in which many were hurt and the AIADMK headquarters was ransacked. Complaints were levelled against both OPS and EPS for having instigated the violence.

In the general council meeting held on July 11, OPS and those close to him were expelled from the party and the former approached the Madras High Court to nullify the proceedings of July 11 and to maintain the status quo of June 23 when OPS was coordinator of the party and EPS, joint coordinator.

While a single bench of the Madras high court nullified the proceedings of the July 11 general council, a division bench of the same court set aside the single bench order and allowed to continue with the July 11 proceedings of the General council meeting. This has led to Edappadi K. Palaniswami emerging as the interim general secretary of the party. OPS has moved the Supreme Court against the division bench order of the Madras High Court.

Meanwhile, on Thursday (September 8) Palaniswami entered the party headquarters and levelled serious allegations against Panneerselvam. EPS charged that OPS was hands in glove with the DMK and was trying to split the AIADMK and added that the party cadres would never forgive him. He also said that Panneerselvam and his associates had ransacked the party and that he has always changed stands according to his benefits.

With the war of words continuing in AIADMK, the Supreme court verdict will decide the fate of the senior leaders, Edappadi K. Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam.