Sasikala camp for permanent freeze on ‘Two Leaves’

Former law minister Ashwani Kumar, representing Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran, argued that the majority was on their side. He also disputed the authenticity of the affidavits filed by the other side of O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami. 

“Unless the authenticity of the affidavits can be determined by the EC, there is no material before the Commission to actually decide the matter of the majority support,” he later told reporters. 

He said the majority support under the party constitution can also be considered on the basis of the support of the primary members not only on the basis of General Council members. “Even if all our arguments fail, then symbol cannot be granted to any one faction and it has to be frozen,” he said. 

The hearing remained inconclusive and the matter was adjourned to October 23. The Supreme Court has asked the poll panel to decide on the matter by November 10. Senior AIADMK leader and supporter of the OPS-EPS camp, K P Munuswamy, said the Sasikala faction was losing the legal battle and that was why it was demanding to freeze the symbol permanently. Meanwhile, in Chennai, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s camp alleged that Dinakaran’s supporters had come out with false allegations to enforce an adjournment and they wanted to drag the case further since they did not have the majority support of MLAs, MPs and General Council members. 

Commenting on the hearing, Karnataka state secretary of AIADMK (Amma) and the spokesperson for the Dinakaran faction V Pugazhendhi said they could prove their charges. Some of the signatures had been obtained by the ruling party under duress and they could bring such members to prove their allegation, he claimed. 

Pugazhendhi told DTNext from Delhi that the merger of the factions headed by Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was invalid since the EC was not intimated about it. He also said the Palaniswami faction had earlier submitted lakhs of affidavits stating that Sasikala was the party general secretary.