Chennai: “It's a firm no. I will not be the Chief Minister,” AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T T V Dinakaran said, trying to downplay persistent speculation that he had decided to contest R K Nagar by-election only to replace Edappadi K Palanisamy as Chief Minister.
Mr Dinakaran, who was on Wednesday named as the party candidate for the by-poll, asserted that Mr Palanisami was the Chief Minister and that he was performing well.
“Edappadi K Palaniswami is our chief minister. Due to certain actions of the then chief minister O Panneerselvam, there was a demand to keep the party and government in one hand,” Dhinakaran told reporters when asked whether he would become chief minister if he wins the Dr R K Nagar constituency by-poll.
There has been speculation that Mr Dhinakaran would sooner than later take over as chief minister to keep up with the tradition of both the posts of head of the AIADMK and the government being held by one and the same person.
Mr Dhinakaran, who had earlier been member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, said he considers only DMK as the AIADMK’s rival and not individuals – Deepa Jayakumar, niece of late J Jayalalithaa and former chief minister O Panneerselvam.
The AIADMK deputy general secretary has been maintaining that he did not consider the OPS faction as threat to him or the party, saying the former chief minister would not be in politics after the by-election.
Dinakaran’s nomination cannot be rejected: Experts
T T V Dinakaran’s nomination cannot be rejected solely on the basis of Rs 25 crore fine imposed on him by the Directorate of Enforcement in a FERA violation case since he has not been convicted, legal experts said on Wednesday.
Constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap told Deccan Chronicle that the law clearly says that only people who have been imprisoned for more than 2 years should be debarred from contesting elections. “Since this case involves only with a fine, I don’t think there is any basis for rejection of nomination papers,” Mr Kashyap said.
He was asked about doubts being raised in Tamil Nadu on whether Mr Dinakaran’s nomination to contest the Dr RK Nagar constituency by-poll will be accepted in the wake of the Madras High Court confirming the Rs 25 crore fine imposed on him.
Kashyap also said the decision of the Returning Officer, who conducts the by-election, is final. “His (RO’s) is the final word. But as far as the law goes, he is free to contest,” he said. Sources in the Election Commission also echoed Kashyap’s views saying there was no bar on a person imposed fine by a court contesting elections.
However, the sources said the Returning Officer has the powers to seek queries whether the fine amount has been paid or not. “The RO is empowered to seek clarifications on any issue that he is not satisfied with,” the sources pointed out.
Dhinakaran was accused of money laundering and benami transactions and came under the scanner of ED officials after huge amounts of cash deposits were made into his bank accounts during the first tenure of late J Jayalalithaa during 1991-96.
