Chennai: The AIADMK members are on cloud nine over the Delhi high court verdict upholding the Election Commission’s order in the two leaves symbol case. Reacting to the verdict, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami who was on a visit to Tiruppur on Thursday, said, “we have been confirmed as the real AIADMK.”
Hailing the verdict, Palaniswami described the order as a “good” one. “It has been confirmed that we are the real AIADMK,” he said. There was little possibility for an appeal against the verdict by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, the Chief Minister, who is also the AIADMK joint coordinator, told reporters in Tiruppur.
The court dismissed the pleas of AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran and jailed V.K. Sasikala challenging the Election Commission’s order granting the AIADMK name and two leaves symbol to the faction led by him, saying that it showed they are the “true AIADMK.” The bench comprising justices: G.S. Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal upheld the EC’s decision of Nov. 23, 2017, saying none of the grounds of the challenge taken by Dhinakaran and Sasikala was sufficient to set aside the poll panel order.
However, Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam said the verdict was expected but vowed to put up a good show in the Lok Sabha polls.
Indirectly referring to Dhinakaran, Palaniswami said, “some created a lot of hurdles with the intention of taking over the party. With this good verdict, a solution has been found to that. Now, the AIADMK will march ahead.” Also, the CM alleged that Dhinakaran had moved the court on this issue as part of the rival DMK’s conspiracy against the AIADMK, but did not elaborate.
“I believe there is no possibility for that since similar material will be placed before the apex court too,” the CM shot back when asked if the rival would go on an appeal against the verdict in the Supreme Court.
In Chennai, party senior and fisheries minister D. Jayakumar averred that none can block his party symbol. “The two leaves symbol belongs to the AIADMK. It is a victory symbol. None can freeze the symbol. If you see the history, those who attempted to destroy the party faded into the oblivion, and no one can destroy the AIADMK,” he said.
Law minister C.Ve. Shanmugam said the verdict was on expected lines. “Those not related to the party and attempted to destroy the AIADMK by blocking its symbol with an evil design have been given a severe blow,” he added.
