OPS holds party meet without EPS

According to party functionaries, the party discussed the campaign strategy for Karnataka Assembly elections in which the party had fielded nominees in three seats. The AIADMK had been given ‘Twin Lamp Posts’ symbol on which the Panneerselvam faction contested the RK Nagar by-election which was cancelled. When the bypoll was held in December again, the two AIADMK factions had merged and regained ‘Two Leaves’ symbol. In Karnataka, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam too is contesting in 20 constituencies under various symbols. 

“It was also said Panneerselvam instructed the functionaries to avoid clashes among the party factions in cooperative elections at the district level. The meeting came at a time when a fight had erupted between AMMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran and his uncle Dhivakaran. 

The AIADMK is facing three important cases at the same time in various courts. The Delhi High Court had resumed the hearing on ‘Two Leaves’ in an appeal by Dhinakaran challenging the Election Commission’s direction to allot the symbol to the faction of treasurer Panneerselvam and presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan. 

Eleven legislators, including Panneerselvam, had moved a caveat in Supreme Court on a case relating to their disqualification since the opposition DMK had vowed to challenge the Madras High Court judgment dismissing a plea to disqualify them. 

The Madras High Court reserved orders on a plea by 18 MLAs against Speaker P Dhanapal’s order to disqualify them and announced that the judgment would be delivered soon. 

The fall out of possible verdicts on the three cases and the strategy to be adopted by the ruling party depending on the various scenarios arising out of the verdicts are being keenly watched by the cadre. 

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, Forest Minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan, Local Administration Minister SP Velumani and other Ministers attended the meeting.