AMMA leadership row deepens as Shwetha Menon disputes interim panel's mandate

A fresh leadership dispute has broken out in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), with former president Shwetha Menon rejecting the legitimacy of the newly formed ad hoc committee and insisting that her executive committee is still in charge.

The controversy comes less than two weeks after AMMA's Annual General Body (AGB) meeting on June 21, when Menon and her entire executive committee announced their resignation amid mounting opposition from a section of members.

Following the resignations, the General Body approved a nine-member ad hoc committee to run the organisation until new elections are held. The panel is headed by Congress MLA Ramesh Pisharody and includes former minister and actor KB Ganesh Kumar.

The dispute escalated after the ad hoc committee held its first meeting in Kochi on Friday.

In a detailed statement posted on social media, Menon said AMMA's by-laws clearly state that an outgoing executive committee continues to hold administrative powers until a new committee is elected. She argued that the ad hoc committee has no legal basis and accused certain groups of trying to take control of the organisation by misleading members.

Menon also claimed that a group of around 10 to 15 members had attended the June 21 meeting with a pre-drafted resolution seeking the resignation of her committee.

According to her, the resolution contained baseless allegations and failed to secure the required two-thirds majority needed under AMMA's rules, making it legally invalid.

However, supporters of the ad hoc committee disagree. They argue that Menon had already announced her resignation before a proposed no-confidence motion could be taken up and that the General Body's unanimous approval gave the interim panel a valid mandate.

With both sides claiming legitimacy, AMMA now appears headed for a legal and organisational battle over who will lead the influential film body until fresh elections are conducted.