EPS camp positive about getting back ‘Two Leaves’

The ruling faction is confident of proving that a majority of the MPs, MLAs and general council members are with them. One of the functionaries from the EPS camp said that they were busy collecting the signatures of general council members and he could not disclose the exact number before submitting it to the Election Commission. But, he expected the commission to come out with a verdict similar to that given during the split in the Samajwadi Party in UP. The allotment of ‘Cycle’ for the SP was decided based on the number of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and party functionaries, he pointed out. 

However, a petition submitted by former MP KC Palaniswami, when he was in the erstwhile faction led by O Panneerselvam, could be a stumbling block as it demands that the general secretary of the party should be decided by the primary members of the party and not by the general council members alone. When asked about the petition, KC Palaniswami said he was consulting lawyers and would take an appropriate stand. Since, the two factions have merged, Palaniswami is expected to withdraw his petition.

Functionaries from Dinakaran faction said if Palaniswami withdrew his petition and accepted that general council is the sole criteria for determining the general secretary, the election of VK Sasikala as the GS would be valid and her subsequent appointments of district secretaries and state level functionaries would also be valid. 

Besides, the status of the general council convened by the Chief Minister’s camp is pending in the Madras High Court and the EC could not take it into account. But, Palaniswami supporters claimed that the EC could ignore the general council meeting altogether, since it is sub judice and take a decision counting the legislators, MPs and general council members. They also asserted that EC would accept the office-bearers as on December 5 when former chief minister J Jayalalithaa passed away. 

The AIADMK camp led by sidelined leader TTV Dinakaran had sought 15 days more from the Election Commission for submitting documents in the dispute for party leadership and ‘Two Leaves’ symbol. A petition to this effect had been submitted to the EC at New Delhi on Tuesday.