-Dr. Abdul Ruff
The treacherous work by Sasikala and allies against the AIADMK, Jayalalithaa and former CM O Paneerselvam has taken the party founded by MGR to a crossroads as the party is slowly losing its prestige and meaning. The party is split and now the party symbol has been frozen. “Both groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from list of free symbols for current bypoll in RK Nagar”Chennai, the EC added.
In what seems to be an apparent victory for O Panneerselvam’s faction, the Election Commission has frozen the name and symbol of AIADMK. “Neither of the two groups shall be permitted to use the symbol ‘Two Leaves’ of AIADMK,” the Election Commission stated. It also added, “Both groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from list of free symbols for current bypoll in RK Nagar. Both groups are allowed a further and final opportunity of adducing documents and affidavits latest by 17th April, 2017. Neither of the two groups (O Panneerselvam and V.K. Sasikala) shall be permitted to use AIADMK name.”
In fact the former CM Panneerselvam who was sacked by Sasikala gang should become victorious in the RK Nagar constituency. The OPS camp has said that it has not yet received an official confirmation. The high-stakes hearing on the claims of rival AIADMK factions over the party’s election symbol commenced on Wednesday.
During the first half of the hearing, the OPS camp questioned VK Sasikala’s elevation to the party top post, besides seeking to freeze the party symbol, before the poll panel. On the other hand the Sasikala camp claimed it had majority support of party delegates, MLAs and MPs, and the claims of Panneerselvam camp were inconsequential
Top legal eagles have been hired by both the sides to put forth their views before the Election Commission. Two former law ministers and a former Additional Solicitor General — M Veerappa Moily, Salman Khurshid and Mohan Parasaran are representing the Sasikala camp. The O Panneerselvam side is being represented by senior Supreme Court advocates CS Vaidyanathan, S Krishnakumar and B Srinivasan.
Essentially as a sign of symbolism to deny the ruling AIADMK faction any upper hand in its claim to be real AIADMK, the Election Commission has frozen the AIADMK party symbol two-leaves. The party symbol having been frozen officially frozen, Jail inmate Sasikala’s strenuous efforts to control the party have received a setback.
As the process of RK Nagar by-poll in Tamil Nadu has set in, the election has frozen the AIADMK party symbol two-leaves, making chances of the party in the poll more challenging.
Even as the ruling AIADMK faction continued to claim that there is no split in the party only a difference of opinion has taken place and the party is one and EC must give the party symbol to the ruling faction without ay second thought.
The decision of EC to freeze the AIADMK party symbol might make Sasikala and CM Pannerselvam happy, for, Sasikala might think she has insulted her “thick friend” and former CM Jayalalithaa for not letting her become acting CM or Deputy general secretary during her life time, while CM Palanisamy would be a happy man for enjoying CM post as luck smiled to him, even if for a few months.
On the other hand, OS Panneerselvam and his supporters in the assembly and parliament, among the party members, would be very sad because they were appointed by Jayalalithaa herself by keeping Sasikala and co at a distance
O Panneerselvam and supporters are the affected party, punished by Sasikala undemocratically. They had expected the EC would give them the party symbol but that has not happened.
Against all expectations by the party workers, Sasikala and Palanisamy have not taken any steps to approach the Jayalalithaa’s CM appointee OSP for patch up work.
Meanwhile both factions claim to be real AIADMK and both could approach the court for justice. .
Madusudanan, the AIADMK candidate of the OPS faction was an MLA of the constituency and vacated it to enable Jayalalithaa to contest and she won it.
However, DMK has all the chances to win the RK Nagar mainly due to the split in AIADMK. .
Both factions would like get more votes than the other and Sasikala candidate might even lose deposit and become the 4th or 5th in poll result. .
It is quite likely that both factions would make efforts to reunite and get back the symbol but party without credible leaders is likely to fail.
Palanisamy still has a chance to let AIADMK continue to rule the state for many years by making a small sacrifice by vacating the CM seat in favor of O Panneerselvam or his nominee. The government has to drop Sasikala, the root cause of all troubles for the party, government and state.
With her series of arrogant actions, Sasikala has already squandered the sympathy wave of Jayalalithaa who died under mysterious circumstances
Sasikala and her relatives in the party do not want to let O Panneerselvam become the CM again even if that would cost the Palanisamy government curtains or even the end of AIADMK- after all, Sasikala is not ruling the state. Palanisamy and some of his associates would like to patch up with Panneerselvam but they fear punitive measures of Sasikala, Dinkaran and family and co. He does not want to lose his CM post that came to him by chance as a lucky gift and fulfillment of his life time goal. He wants to enjoy the privileges of being CM.
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