Tamil Nadu: AIADMK symbol goes to EPS-OPS faction in setback to Sasikala
The Election Commission had frozen the AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol after the party fell apart in a factional fight following Jayalalithaa's death
New Delhi/Hyderabad: The contested “two leaves" symbol of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was awarded to the faction led by Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his deputy chief minister O. Panneerselvam on Thursday, sparking celebrations by their supporters and dealing a blow to the political ambitions of V.K. Sasikala.
The Election Commission’s (EC’s) decision ended a long-running political dispute over ownership of the symbol, frozen in March after the southern state’s ruling party fell apart in a factional fight following the death of long-time chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.
“The Commission is of the considered opinion that the petitioners’ group led by (textiles ministers) E. Madhusudhanan, O. Panneerselvam and (former minister) S. Semmalai and also supported presently by the impleading applicant E.K. Palaniswami, the present chief minister of Tamil Nadu, enjoys support of a majority of members, both in the organizational and legislature wings of the AIADMK," the EC’s order said.
The move came as a blow to the faction led by Sasikala, who is serving a four-year sentence in a Bengaluru jail in a disproportionate assets case, and her nephew and the party’s sidelined deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran.
In September, a Madurai bench of the Madras high court directed the EC to decide by 31 October which faction would get the ‘two leaves’ symbol.
The court’s direction came after it had earlier directed the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) to conduct local body polls by 17 November.
Although the warring factions led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam merged (the so-called EPS and OPS factions), a fresh crisis erupted after Dhinakaran rebelled against the merged group.
The 83-page EC order relied mainly on the principle of higher legislative and organizational strength to allot the symbol. Based on the affidavits filed by lawmakers and legislators supporting the rival factions, the EC in its order detailed their respective numerical strength.
While the EPS-OPS faction had the support of 34 Lok Sabha members, eight Rajya Sabha members, 111 MLAs in Tamil Nadu and four MLAs in Puducherry, the Sasikala faction claimed the support of three members each of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and 20 MLAs in Tamil Nadu (18 of whom stood disqualified on grounds of defection).
Palaniswami described the development as the happiest day for the AIADMK as celebrations broke out at the party headquarters.
“The EC has given a good decision. They have allocated the symbol to us. They have given this decision based on number of cadres, MPs and MLAs who are on our side. We submitted affidavits to prove that a majority of party cadres are with us. We are happy. This is a fair decision by the EC," Palaniswami added.
However, Dhinakaran criticized it, saying that the “EC did not function in an independent manner. We will approach the Supreme Court... EC has acted as per wishes of the central government."
The poll watchdog in its order on Thursday said that its interim order passed on 22 March this year stands “withdrawn and rescinded".
Analysts feel that the Sasikala faction can move court for relief.
“The aggrieved party might go to court still. The point is that Dhinakaran and Sasikala belong to the richest faction in the party and have huge money power and will keep fighting. Unless some court orders come... they will continue (to stake claim over the party)," said Gnani Sankaran, senior journalist and political analyst.
He added that as of now 70-80% of the party cadres are with the EPS-OPS faction, but only an election will put an end to the internal feud within the AIADMK and settle things once and for all.
The EC had earlier decided to freeze the party’s symbol and name in March ahead of the bypoll for the R.K. Nagar seat which fell vacant after Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016. The bypoll was later rescinded.
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