The special general body meeting (GBM) of the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association (TNCDA), held in Villupuram on Sunday, November 23, officially ratified the permanent expulsion of K K Selvan from the post of general secretary of the association.
The leadership overhaul continued with the general body also expelling the treasurer, P Ambalagan, from his post.
Attended by a robust delegation of approximately 650 members from all districts, including 343 executive committee members, the crucial meeting was conducted under the close observation of official observers dispatched by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), the national trade body.
The removal of Selvan ended the long power struggle in the association, and new office-bearers were elected immediately to complete the change. The general body appointed G Ashok Kumar from Thiruvallur district as the new permanent General Secretary in place of Selvan.
Furthermore, the association appointed M Ganesha Moorthy from Virudhu Nagar district to take charge as the new Treasurer, completing the immediate executive restructuring. President S A Ramesh was confirmed to continue in his position, anchoring the new phase of the association and symbolizing the unified front moving forward.
The Central achievement of the Villupuram general body was the declaration that, with this decisive overhaul, the traders’ body in Tamil Nadu has become one unified association under a strong leadership, effectively ending all separatism. This commitment to reconciliation was cemented by incorporating previously expelled leaders into the high-power committee of the association, including Mannargudi Ramachandran, Chola Ramachandran, Gurumurthy, Madurai Ganeshan, and Chennai Natarajan. All the split-away groups have now come together to join with president S A Ramesh, collectively strengthening the association’s mandate.
Deeper allegations surrounding Selvan’s tenure painted a picture of high-handed governance and a systematic attempt to consolidate power. Charges included deliberately excluding approximately 1,500 legitimate members from various districts who did not align with his personal interests. Furthermore, he was accused of undermining the structure of the organization by attempting to bifurcate district associations to secure illegitimate control and power through unrecognized district bodies, actions that president S A Ramesh argued amounted to crippling the association's unity.
The general body also took decisive action against the former treasurer, P Ambalagan. He was removed from his position for failing to cooperate with the association's financial administration. The primary reason cited for his expulsion was his alleged refusal to hand over the association's balance sheet and his non-cooperation in the economic functioning, which created significant hurdles for the new leadership seeking to establish financial order and accountability.
With the expulsions formalized and key positions filled, the meeting proceeded to elect other essential office-bearers and focus on organizational unity. K Manoharan, former TNCDA president, was elected as the new patron, and Swaminathan Elangovan was elected as the administrative secretary. The presence of key leaders from neighbouring states as central observers, such as R Raghunath Reddy, president of the Karnataka State Chemists and Druggists Association, underscored the regional importance and seriousness of the TNCDA's structural reforms.
The successful conduct of the Villupuram meeting, watched closely by the national body AIOCD, marked a clear mandate for the new administration to focus on the unity and welfare of its members. By removing the individuals identified as the source of factionalism and quickly installing a new, unified team, the TNCDA is now positioned to move past internal conflicts and concentrate fully on representing the interests of chemists and druggists across Tamil Nadu. |