Cooker symbol to AMMK namesakes adds pressure on TTV

The cooker symbol allotment has turned out to be a morale booster for non-party candidates and they are now actively campaigning compared to other independents.

In four constituencies, the candidates on ‘Pressure Cooker’ symbol share the same name of AMMK candidates and there are also cases where ‘Thoppi,’ another symbol popularised by AMMK leader Dhinakaran is awarded to namesakes of the nominees contesting on AMMK ticket.

In at least three Assembly segments – Tiruvarur, Pappireddipatti and Harur – which face by-polls on April 18, the namesakes of the AMMK candidates have been allotted ‘Pressure Cooker’ symbol. The AMMK nominee in Tiruvarur is S Kamaraj, his namesake, B Kamaraj, has been allotted the ‘Pressure Cooker’ symbol. In Harur, AMMK candidate Murugan is contesting on ‘Gift Box’ symbol while independent who shares his name, Murugan P, has got ‘Pressure Cooker.’ In Pappireddipatti, DK Rajendran is Dhinakaran’s candidate and an independent named C Rajendran is allotted the ‘Pressure Cooker’ symbol.

“The Election Commission (EC) went all guns blazing against the AMMK when we demanded the ‘Pressure Cooker’ symbol. The EC has allotted the same symbol now to independents. AMMK candidates are also independents and this is a planned conspiracy by the EC,” charged AMMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi.

The public are watching all the activities of the EC and we suspect that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is behind these initiatives done by the district level poll officials. We just asked for a symbol in which our leader won the RK Nagar bypoll, what is stopping the EC from giving us the same symbol, she added.

“The EC is getting exposed day by day and the ‘Gift Box’ symbol allotted to the AMMK has reached every voter. This not a strange coincidence, but a deliberate attempt to confuse voters,” Saraswathi alleged. “The actions of the EC have now triggered a major row with common public and political observers,” the AMMK spokesperson noted.

It may be noted that the AMMK appealed before the Supreme Court seeking allotment of the ‘Pressure Cooker’ symbol to its nominees, but the Election Commission did not oblige. However, based on the apex court direction the EC allotted a common symbol ‘Gift Box’ to the AMMK.

Asked for his reaction at a press conference, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa said the EC acts as per the symbol orders and various provisions of law. “Unfortunately, this is a quasi-judicial function that we exercise. This is not the forum to discuss this case,” Lavasa told reporters.

“People are aware of the AMMK symbol and the cadre are working round the clock seeking votes for ‘Gift Box’ symbol. The ‘Gift Box’ is now the most popular symbol. The EPS-led government thinks they can defeat us through such tactics and they will be proved wrong when the votes are counted,” North Chennai AMMK candidate P Santhanakrishnan told DT Next.