CHENNAI: The Election Commission on Thursday recognized the faction led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam as the real AIADMK and allotted two leaves symbol to them.
palaniswami described the development as a “welcome step” and the happiest day for the party.
The AIADMK workers broke into the celebration by bursting crackers and distributing sweets in front of the party headquarters here.
Tamil Nadu chief minister E. Palanisamy today said the Election Commission has allotted the ‘two leaves’ symbol to the unified AIADMK led by him and his deputy O. Panneerselvam.
However, the EC is yet to make an official announcement in this regard. The issue has been lingering since April in the aftermath of the announcement of by-polls to the R.K. Nagar assembly constituency here.
The EC had then frozen the AIADMK party name and its symbol after the different factions had staked claim over it.
During the hearings, the Sasikala–Dhinakaran faction challenged the genuineness of many fresh affidavits filed by the Panneerselvam-Palaniswami combine, seeking permission to cross-examine the affiants.
It accused the rivals of violating the party’s constitution rules and submitted that the party symbol should rather remain frozen.
The O Panneerselvam-Palanisamy alloy said they enjoyed the majority in the party’s legislative and organizational wings, even when the disputed affidavits were not taken on record. It accused the other group of unnecessarily dragging the proceedings.