AIADMK Symbol Row: EC Allots Two-Leaves Symbol To EPS-OPS Group

The development is a setback to the deposed party leader VK Sasikala, who is currently serving her term in a Bengaluru jail in a disproportionate assets case, besides her nephew and sidelined deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 23 November 2017 4:03 pm

The Election Commission has allotted the iconic two-leaves symbol of AIADMK to unified EPS-OPS faction of the party.

“EC has given judgment in our favour, we are very happy. Majority of party workers supported us,” Palaniswami tweeted. “It is a fair verdict by EC. We submitted affidavits to prove that majority of cadres are with us. Based on this, EC has delivered a fair decision.”

The group led by E Madhusudhanan(EPS-OPS faction) will be entitled to use the name of the party 'AIADMK' and its reserved symbol 'two leaves', the Election Commission has said.

Palaniswami described the development as a "welcome step" and the happiest day for the party.

The AIADMK workers broke into celebration by bursting crackers and distributing sweets in front of the party headquarters here.

Palaniswami told reporters here that their faction had provided all the necessary documents and affidavits to prove that it had the claim for it on its majority strength in various party fora.

The EC, early this year, froze the symbol, following a tiff within the party between E K Palaniswami-O Panneerselvam and the Sasikala Natarajan factions.

With both the Sasikala and the O.Panneerselvam camps claiming the symbol, the EC had barred both of them from using the symbol or the AIADMK name for the bypoll elections in April this year.

Later, a large group of legislators led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami revolted against Sasikala, and announced merger with Panneerselvam faction.

Resolutions ousting Sasikala as interim general secretary and her nephew Dhinakaran as her deputy were also adopted at the party's general council meeting held on September 12.

On September 14, representatives of Dhinakaran had approached the EC urging it to declare as invalid the general council meeting, citing a high court order that said any decision taken at the impugned meeting will be subject to the final outcome in the appeal.

At an earlier hearing, the EPS-OPS faction had told the poll panel the symbol cannot be allotted to the Dhinakaran faction since they have been ousted from the party.

(Inputs from PTI)