AIADMK leaders urge HC to reject plea for intra-party polls

AIADMK senior leaders have filed a joint application in the Madras High Court, seeking to reject a civil suit preferred by an individual insisting upon conduct of intra-party elections and to declare as null and void the appointment of various office-bearers without conducting such elections. The applicants — party presidium chairman E. Madhoosudhanan, coordinator O. Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami — prayed to reject the plaint with exemplary costs. Justice R. Pongiappan on Wednesday directed the plaintiff, G. Sundaram of Kanagkurichi in Salem district, to file his reply within eight weeks and adjourned the case to April 24. The applicants questioned the plaintiff’s locus standi and claimed there was a “hidden agenda” behind the case.