Sasikala’s nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran expected to float his party soon

“Wait for one or two days. We will take a decision on Puratchi Thalaivar’s (MGR) birthday," Dhinakaran said on Tuesday. Certain decisions have to be made before local body polls and parliamentary election, he added.

While the latter is due in 2019, the political chaos following the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa means elections to local bodies, due in October 2016, are yet to be held.

Dhinakaran said that his aunt and jailed leader V.K. Sasikala has authorized him to take the decision.

Following the merger of their rival AIADMK factions in August 2017, chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his deputy O. Panneerselvam sacked Sasikala from the post of party general secretary.

But Dhinakaran added: “We will continue with our efforts to retrieve the party (AIADMK) and the ‘two leaves’ symbol. The Election Commission (EC) of India awarded the party and symbol to the wrong people based on the support of MLAs and MPs. But, we have the entire cadre support."

The EC in November awarded the ‘two leaves’ symbol to the merged party. It had earlier decided to freeze the symbol ahead of the bypoll for the R.K. Nagar seat that fell vacant after Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016. The bypoll was rescinded. Dhinakaran has filed a plea in the Delhi high court against the EC’s decision

The byelection, held in December 2017, immediately after the decision on the ‘two leaves’ symbol, saw Dhinakaran score a thumping victory as an independent candidate.

On Tuesday, he said that the Palaniswami government would fall in the next few months, adding, “The results of the R.K. Nagar byelection proved that we have the support of 90% cadres. The voters of R.K. Nagar reflected the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu people."

However, the minister for higher education K.P. Anbazhagan said, “It will not affect AIADMK in any way if Dhinakaran floats a new party."