In the midst of the escalating leadership crisis in the ADMK with the fresh tussle between the top two leaders Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam (OPS) in their race to win the full control of the party, former ADMK MLA has said that both the top leaders must resign from the party and that the party cadres would elect the new leader. 

Arukutty is the former ADMK MLA, who served as the legislator in the assembly from the Kavundampalayam constituency from 2011 to 2021. Known to be the supporter of Edappadi Palaniswami, Arukutty has thrown a bombshell in the party demanding that both the leaders must step resign from the party. Speaking to the reporters in Coimbatore, Arukutty stated that the fight between EPS and OPS over the leadership is not fair. 

He said, "Whether OPS and EPS created the post of Chief Coordinator and Joint Coordinator by taking the consent from every cadre? Both OPS and EPS must resign from the party. They should pave the way for new faces. The ADMK cadres will elect their leader. It is fair that someone is elected as the party's General Secretary instead of OPS and EPS. It is not good to form factions when the party has been facing setbacks." 

"If the party keeps going like this, it will again split into two", he added. Arukutty questioned the current leadership on who has given the power to expel the functionaries who were with the party since the MGR era. He further asked, "Whether the party could have become what it is today if Jayalalithaa was alive", adding that the cadres are frustrated. He had accused EPS and OPS of exercising faction-based politics in the party. 

His speech has been going viral as it has come at a high time when the ADMK has been reeling from the political furores with brewing tussle. The party is all set to convene its General Body meeting on June 23 and while EPS aims to decorate the post of General Secretary, OPS and his supporters are protesting against the EPS camp and amid marathon meetings between the senior leaders, the party is yet to offer consensus over the baton of leadership. 

The party has been witnessing the growing chorus for the single leadership. The voice for the single leadership in the party wasn't new but this time, the chorus for the single leader is accepted and backed by the senior leaders, who once rejected such claims. As the days are running out towards the General Body Meeting, the cadres of both the leaders are protesting against their opposite camp and the supporters of Panneerselvam on Thursday went on to break the car of former minister Jayakumar, who is backing Palaniswami. 

Earlier, Jayakumar has said that a majority of district secretaries and officer-bearers had backed the need for unitary leadership. Though EPS and OPS didn't meet in person since the crisis sported a new uncertainty, it has been reported that Palaniswami's camp has been trying to convince Panneerselvam to agree to a resolution at the General Council Meeting. Palaniswami has assured that he will provide the post of ADMK's Presidium Chairman to Panneerselvam, which is the second powerful post in the party, while the former will decorate the first one.