|
A special general body meeting (GBM) of the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA) was held recently at Trichy in Tamil Nadu, marking a decisive turning point in the association's intense internal power struggle.
The special GBM was overwhelmingly attended by 395 executive committee members and 145 special invitees. The core outcome of the meeting was the immediate expulsion of K K Selvan from the post of general secretary. In his place, A. Palaniappan, currently the joint secretary of the association, was appointed as the in-charge secretary, tasked with steering the association toward its next general body session.
This decisive action has been formally communicated to the Madras High Court, where several cases pertaining to the association's disputes are pending, as well as to the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), the national trade body, sources from the association informed Pharmabiz.
The expulsion follows an escalation of conflict that had been brewing for months, characterized by a systematic power grab and high-handed governance. The main reason for the expulsion was K K Selvan's controversial meeting attempt in Madurai last September, which the police had to cancel. President S A Ramesh stated that Selvan called the meeting secretly and intentionally blocked most legitimate members from attending.
The president of the association S A Ramesh later spoke to Pharmabiz, confirming that the key goal of the current administration is reunification. He alleged that when K K Selvan was in office, he had deliberately excluded and removed members who did not align with his personal interests, reportedly affecting approximately 1,500 members from various districts. Furthermore, Selvan was accused of undermining the association's unity by bifurcating district organizations to secure illegitimate power by forming unrecognised district bodies.
In a significant move to heal the division, the president formally invited all previously excluded groups and members to the Trichy meeting. Key traders who were reportedly expelled earlier by Selvan, including leading figures like T Natarajan, Selvakumar, and Palepu Gopal from Chennai, Mannargudi Ramachandran from Kumbhakonam, Chola Mahendran from Thanjavur, and Saravanan and Ganesan from Madurai were invited for the special GBM. Their presence signalled a strong consolidation of support for the current leadership and a visible step toward mending the fractured statewide body.
The charges against the former general secretary were not limited to membership disputes. According to the background of the disciplinary notice, Selvan was also accused of threatening district association members with dire consequences and even stoppage of their business activities if they refused his demands to make him the permanent secretary. The notice further alleged that he sought to induct ‘rowdy elements as members’ to capture the association, prioritizing organizational control over its primary duties like preventing the sale of spurious drugs.
Further increasing the pressure on the former general secretary, president Ramesh confirmed that he has initiated criminal cases against Selvan. The cases stem from allegations that Selvan took important association property without authorization, specifically the minutes book, AGM book, and the original land deed of the property purchased by the TNCDA in Trichy.
Looking ahead, the association also announced that its next major meeting will be held in Villupuram next month, as the new leadership focuses on moving forward with a unified structure.
|