OPS pushing Electric Pole' as Two Leaves': Dinakaran files complaint with EC

Chennai: AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran filed a complaint with the Election Commission on Monday alleging that rival faction leader O Panneerselvam is ‘manipulating’ the Electric Pole symbol to represent ‘Two Leaves’ during the on-going bypoll campaign in the state.

According to media reports, Dinakaran has claimed that the faction is misleading the voters in the constituency by pushing the ‘Electric Pole’ as ‘Two Leaves’ symbol.

Interestingly, Panneerselvam, in one of speeches, was quoted as saying that Jayalalithaa and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran were the ‘lamps’ in his party symbol.

The ‘Two leaves’ symbol is the original symbol of the AIADMK that was frozen due to the clash between the rivalling Sasikala-OPS factions.

Each faction had also floated their own party to contest the upcoming RK Nagar bypolls, which fell vacant after the demise of Late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. Nominations have also been filed by the candidates under the new symbols.

While the Sasikala faction will be known as AIADMK (Amma), the OPS camp chose to name their faction AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma).

The Election Commission had allotted the ‘Hat’ symbol to the Sasikala camp of AIADMK while the OPS camp got ‘Electric Pole’, which has an uncanny resemblance to the ‘Two Leaves’ symbol.

On the other hand, Dinakaran also released AIADMK Amma’s election manifesto for the bypoll on Monday.

The manifesto, among others, promises setting up of a super-speciality hospital, mobile hospitals and fish markets in the constituency.

At a function held at the AIADMK headquarters here, the first copy of the manifesto was released by senior party leader 'Panruti' Ramachandran.

It was received by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in the presence of Dinakaran, AIADMK Amma candidate for the bypoll in the constituency here, and senior party functionaries.