At a time when the factional feud inside the ruling AIADMK has reached the Madras High Court, with the disqualification of 18 MLAs supporting the sidelined deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, the Election Commission of India summoned the OPS and the TTV factions to respond to the case pertaining to the two-leaves symbol row.
The notice has been addressed by the ECI to E. Madhusoodhanan, O. Panneerselvam, V.K. Sasikala and T.T.V. Dhinakaran. Asking the respondents to make their submissions, if any, before September 29, the commission said the case will be heard on October 4. It is very significant that the ECI considers V.K. Sasikala a party to the litigation at a time when the newly-merged factions of OPS and EPS have sidelined her and T.T.V. Dhinakaran.
“Affidavits should be filed original along with separate sets for different categories of members, latest by September 29. You are also directed to submit the list of general council members and central executive committee members of the party on December 5, 2016,” the notice said.
T.T.V. Dhinakaran was not a member of any organising body as on December 5, 2016. However the notice assumes significance in the backdrop of the ongoing power tussle in the AIADMK and the order of the Madurai bench of Madras High Court, last Friday. The court on Friday had asked the Election Commission of India to decide before October 31 which faction of the AIADMK will get the two-leaves symbol. The order came after the High Court asked the poll-monitoring body to conduct local body elections by November 17. In April, during the by-elections to the R.K. Nagar constituency, once held by Jayalalithaa, the two leaves symbol was frozen following a petition by the OPS faction. The OPS faction then contested in a twin light symbol, while Dhinakaran was given the hat symbol.
