Chennai: Even as nominations for the by-poll to the Erode Assembly constituency commences on Tuesday, the possibility of either of the AIADMK factions securing the party symbol, 'Two Leaves', appears remote. With both the factions laying claim to it, not only the symbol, even the name of the party could be put under cold storage by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The dominant faction of the AIADMK, led by former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) as well as the other headed by former Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has announced their decision to contest the election. Both are yet to name their respective candidates. But, EPS has moved the Supreme court seeking a direction to the ECI to allot the symbol to his faction by accepting his election as the interim general secretary at the July last party general council, which abolished the post of Coordinator held by OPS besides expelling him.
On Monday, the apex court, directing the ECI to file its response within three days, posted the matter to Friday. Earlier, the court, which had reserved orders in the plea of OPS challenging the general council, made it clear that the outcome of this case would have no bearing on the main suit.
Earlier, during an oral mention it was submitted, “the EC refuses to accept the signature of the interim general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami citing the pendency of the AIADMK general council case before the supreme court.” It was further submitted that “the prospects of the party in the by-poll is at stake and the EC should not hide under this pretext.” Now, all eyes are on the EC and the apex court.
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The EPS faction, which is hopeful of a favorable verdict, has opened an election office in Erode with fanfare besides constituting a jumbo-sized campaign team and started checking the voter list through a door-to-door visit. Camping in Erode, EPS has concluded screening prospective candidates. Following suit, OPS too has formed a mega campaign team, but his faction is yet to be seen engaging in campaign work in Erode.
Prior to the July last general council, the party had a dual leadership with OPS as Coordinator and EPS as Joint Coordinator. Since the EC is yet to accept the decisions of the general council, both have to sign the A and B Forms to authorize a candidate contesting on the party ticket. AIADMK cadre as well as supporters are emotionally attached to the 'Two Leaves' symbol ever since the party contested the Lok Sabha by-election from Dindigul in 1973 and tasted success. In the last 50 years, the party had been in power for 30 long years.
“In the event of both the factions fielding candidates, which appears imminent, the EC has no other option but to freeze the symbol. The present scenario appears to be a re-run of the 2017 by-poll to the RK Nagar constituency after the death of Jayalalithaa. Then, the Sasikala faction and OPS faction were in the fray and the EC denied the symbol to both. Now also, it is unlikely that either EPS or OPS would get the symbol,” explains analyst Raveendran Duraisamy.
Shortly after the death of Jayalalithaa, her confidant VK Sasikala was elected AIADMK Legislature party leader and interim general secretary. However, due to the conviction of Sasikala in the wealth case, OPS became the CM. Stripped of the CM post, OPS rebelled and launched the 'Dharma Yudh'. And in the 2017 by-poll, which was countermanded due to unprecedented bribing of voters, the EC had disallowed both factions to use the party name.
As such, the Sasikala faction was given the name “AIADMK – Amma” and the OPS faction had “AIADMK – Puratchi Thalaivi Amma”. The candidate of the Sasikala faction, TTV Dhinakaran was allotted the 'Hat' symbol while E Madhusudhanan of the OPS faction, was given 'Lamp Post with Twin Lights'. It is a different story that EPS and OPS teamed up later and in the by-poll held months later, the AIADMK with the 'Two Leaves' symbol, lost to Dhinakaran, who contested as an independent.
Earlier, the party symbol was frozen for the first time in the 1989 assembly elections when the AIADMK split with one faction led by Jayalaltihaa and the other by VN Janaki, wife of party founder MG Ramachandran. But, soon the party was united and it was back to its winning ways in the by-poll for Marungapuri and Madurai East the same year. Now, it appears that history is repeating itself.
Nominations would close on February 7 and polling is slated for February 27. The seat fell vacant following the death of E Thirumahan Evera, son of Congress veteran EVKS Elangovan, who is the party nominee now. The Congress is backed by the DMK and other allies besides the Makkal Needhi Maiam of actor Kamal Hassan.
The DMDK of actor Vijayakant and TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK, which are struggling to make them politically relevant have also entered the fray. But, the BJP is yet to make up its mind on whether to contest or support either of the AIADMK factions. Any decision that the saffron party takes will have a bearing on the 2024 LS poll and hence the continuing dilemma.
