TTV Dhinakaran welcomes HC verdict; AIADMK to challenge ruling

CHENNAI: AIADMK rebel TTV Dhinakaran on Friday welcomed the Delhi high court order allotting “pressure cooker” as the symbol and a suitable name for his faction from the three choices proposed by him, even as the ruling party asserted that it would not allow him to use the party name and seek legal recourse in the matter.

Dhinakaran said he would use “pressure cooker” and the new name to unite the AIADMK and finally retrieve the party’s original symbol “Two Leaves.” While seeking pressure cooker, which was a rage in the R K Nagar by-election that he romped home in December last year, he had suggested that Election Commission allot one of the three names — All India Amma Anna Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam, MGR Amma Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam and MGR Amma Dravidar Kazhagam – for his faction.

“I am certainly happy. Very, very happy about the judgement. We wanted pressure cooker as the symbol and now we have got it,” Dhinakaran told reporters in Madurai, when asked for his reaction on the issue.

“You can take it whichever way you want – as a new party or as an old party with new name. I will use the name to get back the AIADMK and its Two Leaves symbol,” Dhinakaran said.

In Chennai, Fisheries Minister and senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar said the party would seek legal recourse in the matter.

“We will not allow Dhinakaran to use the name AIADMK and we will take all legal steps for this purpose,” the state fisheries minister told reporters here. Though anyone can start a party, we are clear that no one should use the party name AIADMK, the senior leader said.