New Delhi: Senior AIADMK leaders led by M Thambidurai, Thursday, met the Election Commission to assert that there is no split in the party.
The AIADMK's official faction met the EC a day after former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam today met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and staked claim to the AIADMK's symbol ahead of the upcoming by-poll to R K Nagar constituency in Chennai.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with EC, Thambidurai said, “We submitted a memorandum telling the EC that there is no split, we are all united. Some people may have some issues but we are united.”
Thambidurai pointed that support of a minimum of 1/3rd members of the party is required to engineer a split – suggesting that the Panneerselvam faction lacks the numbers.
“Our party is united and we want Amma's legacy to continue and to maintain that unity is required,” he added.
Yesterday, Panneerselvam also demanded that the poll panel order fresh election for AIADMK general secretary's post, which was currently occupied by V K Sasikala, alleging she was elevated to the position in violation of the norms. She is serving the remainder of her prison term after her conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case.
The OPS camp said since Sasikala had not completed five years in the party after her reinduction, her elevation and appointments and removals made by her were in violation of the party bylaws. "We have asked the ECI to look into the issue," he said.
Sasikala, her husband M Natarajan and a few other relatives were expelled from AIADMK in 2011 by the late J Jayalalithaa amid reports that they interfered in party and government administration. Although she had later withdrawn the "disciplinary action" against Sasikala after she expressed regret, Jayalalithaa had, however, said the expulsion of others would continue.
Sasikala's nephew TTV Dinakaran, who was also expelled by Jayalalithaa, was reinducted into the party and made its deputy general secretary by his aunt before she headed for jail. A former Rajya Sabha MP, Dinakaran has been declared AIADMK nominee for the R K Nagar seat which fell vacant after Jayalalithaa's demise.
The OPS faction said Dinakaran's conviction in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) case has also been brought to the notice of ECI.
When asked about Dinakaran's candidature for the by-poll, AIADMK MP V Maitreyan said, "It is a democracy and anybody can contest." He, however, added, "as the party symbol will be given to us, Dinakaran will be contesting as an independent candidate."
Maitreyan also alleged that AIADMK has been "hijacked" by a small group.
"The party still belongs to us, but a small group has hijacked it which Amma never wanted," Maitreyan said.
Panneerselvam said his camp will declare its candidate for the R K Nagar seat in a couple of days.
"The parliamentary board of the party will choose a candidate in a couple of days. Besides, other political parties are reaching us for an alliance and a decision on that would be taken after consultations with stakeholders," he said.
DMK has announced N Maruthuganesh as its candidate for the April 12 by-poll.
