Chennai/THANJAVUR: The Election Commission will resume the hearing on the ‘Two Leaves’ case on Monday with both sides — EPS-OPS and TTV Dhinakaran – exuding confidence that the symbol will be allotted to their camp. Senior ministers D. Jayakumar, C. Ve. Shanmugam and K.P. Munusamy, V. Maitreyan and other leaders of the EPS-OPS faction left for New Delhi on Sunday evening to assist their lawyers in presenting their case before the EC.
From TTV’s side, MLAs Senthil Balaji, Palaniappan and Rathina Sabhapathy also left for New Delhi on Sunday evening. The EC had last week adjourned the hearing for October 23 even as the October 31 deadline set by the Madras High Court to dispose of the case stares at it.
O. Panneerselvam and E. Madhusudhanan filed the original case after they rebelled against the then interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala staking a claim for the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol. As the EPS and OPS factions merged, Dhinakaran knocked at the doors of the Election Commission asking it not to pass any orders without hearing their side.
Both the factions have staked claim to the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol, which holds sway over people from different generations since it is associated with the charisma of late M.G. Ramachandran.
On the eve of the hearing, Jayakumar exuded confidence that they will get the “Two Leaves” symbol as more than 110 MLAs and over 35 MPs support their faction. “We are hopeful we will get the symbol because we are the real AIADMK,” he told reporters. However, Sabhapathy said they would win the case since several affidavits filed by Panneerselvam camp have been proved to be “fake.”
This is the second time in 29 years that rival claims over the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol have reached the EC. In the aftermath of MGR’s death in 1987, the AIADMK split into two factions – J. Jayalalithaa and V.N. Janaki – and since both the groups staked claims over the symbol, the Election Commission kept it frozen and allotted new symbol for both factions. Later, the symbol was released after the party was united.
‘TTV group hopeful of acquiring symbol’
The AIADMK (Amma) faction (T.T.V.Dhinakaran group) will present its argument for retaining the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol before Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday said Nanjil Sampath, propaganda secretary of the Amma faction here on Sunday. He told presspersons that ECI could not take decisions in a partisan manner.
“We hope that the commission will take a correct decision after hearing our considered arguments, besides those of others. If it takes a decision in a partisan manner, then we will go to the court and get the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol”, Sampath said.
