RK nagar bypoll: TTV Dhinakarn loses 'hat', settles for 'pressure cooker' symbol
Chennai: As many as 59 candidates, including AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan, DMK nominee N Marudhu Ganesh and rebel T T V Dhinakaran, are in the fray for the December 21 high-stakes by-election to R K Nagar constituency, represented twice by late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.
After hours of high drama, Dhinakaran was allotted "pressure cooker" symbol after his requests to allot his favourite "hat" and "whistle" were turned down by returning officer, K. Velusamy, who gave them to candidates of little-known but registered political parties. Since Dhinakaran filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate, he did not get symbol of his preference and was allotted random symbol.
Dhinakaran wanted the hat symbol to be allotted to him since he argued that it has become synonymous with him after he contested the now cancelled April 12 byelection on the symbol. He had even approached the Delhi high court seeking direction to the Returning Officer to allot the hat symbol to him. However, the court rejected his plea and ruled that allotting symbol was the prerogative of the returning officer.
Allotment of pressure cooker to Dhinakaran followed hours of heated arguments at the election office where the returning officer insisted on a lucky draw for allotment of symbol, which had more than one claimant. Finally, the "hat" symbol went to Namadhu Kongu Munnetra Kazhagam candidate M. Ramesh. "Through pressure cooker, I will give pressure to the party betrayers. For an able person, any symbol is good," Dhinakaran told reporters.
There was another round of drama as Vishal, whose nomination was rejected on Tuesday, once again petitioned the returning officer asking him to accept his documents and allow him to contest the elections. As Velusamy refused to heed to his demand, an angry Vishal accused him of sabotaging his electoral ambitions and vowed to take the issue to the Election Commission of India.
On the last day of withdrawal, 13 candidates withdrew their nominations leaving 59 candidates in the fray. This includes 47 independents and nominees of 12 recognised political parties. NOTA option will be the last button in the EVM leaving RK Nagar voters a choice of 60 symbols to vote on December 21.
Dhinakaran and other independents were briefed that there would be a draw between independents if the recognised parties did not ask for the hat symbol. But as two less known but recognised parties contested for the Hat symbol, the NKMK candidate secured it through the draw. Independent candidate M. S. Arumugham of Madhu Kudeepor Sangam had no complaints. "We wanted bottle symbol and the poll officials allocated the same. Our campaign will be focused on development for RK Nagar and quality liquor through Tasmac stores," Arumugam said.
