Sasikala gets 'hat', 'electric pole' for OPS: EC

OPS faction to be called 'AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma' and Sasikala faction is 'AIADMK Amma'

The Election Commission has decided to freeze AIADMK's two leaves symbol. An interim order was passed on Wednesday late night by the Commission after a day-long hearing. Meanwhile, the two AIADMK factions have got new poll symbols for the upcoming by-election at R K Nagar,.

Both the aggrieved parties are claiming that the symbol should be allotted to them. One is led by V K Sasikala, General Secretary, AIADMK, who is behind the bars at Karnataka now, and the other one is led by late J Jayalalithaa's trusted aide and former chief minister O Panneerselvam.

The Election Commission ordered that neither of the two groups be permitted to use the two leaves symbol of AIADMK.

Panneerselvam camp got 'electric pole' symbol and new name AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma).

On the other hand, Sasikala's camp got the 'hat' symbol and would be known as AIADMK (Amma).

Both the groups' candidates will fight during the upcoming bye-election from Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar assembly constituency, which fell vacant after former Chief Minister and AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa's died last year. The by-election is slated for April 12, 2017.

EC asked both the sides to submit all such documents and affidavits on which they propose to rely on their respective claims for the two leaves symbol latest by April 17, 2017.

T T V Dinakaran, Deputy General Secretary of AIADMK, is the candidate for the Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency. Panneerselvam camp fielded Senior AIADMK leader E Madhusudhanan. Both the candidates submitted their nominations today.

"People of this constituency desire rule of O Panneerselvam in Tamil Nadu. He has been working for their welfare...my victory prospects in this election are bright," Madhusudhanan told reporters here after filing his nomination.

"We are firm in our objective - it is to fight against family rule in AIADMK," he told reporters after filing the nomination.

"AIADMK Founder M G Ramachandran fought against (DMK-led by M Karunanidhi) family rule and formed AIADMK which was then taken care of by Amma (Jayalalithaa). Amma did not favour any family rule in party. She reinstated Sasikala only as an assistant...even Amma did not reinstate AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T T V Dinakaran or Divakaran or even Sudhakaran into the party," Madhusudhanan said.

Sasikala was appointed AIADMK General Secretary last year, and soon after she was convicted by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case, she appointed her nephew T T V Dinakaran as Deputy General Secretary.