CHENNAI: Following the irreparable rift in the AIADMK party, the VK Sasikala faction has decided to call itself the AIADMK (Amma) and has chosen the hat symbol, while the O Panneerselvam group has called itself the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) and will use the electric pole symbol.
Both the sides have been locking horns, with the latest fight being over the filing nominations for Amma's constituency RK Nagar. Both the estranged sides submitted their new names and poll symbols to the Election Commission last week after it barred them from using the undivided party's two leaves symbol. Party sources revealed the EC accepted Sasi-faction's hat symbol. The poll panel said both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their respective parties. “Both the groups will also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose for the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission,” it said.
The RK Nagar bypoll was necessitated after the demise of former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa. With both the factions contesting for the constituency with their respective members, the EC blocked the AIADMK's two leaves party symbol. “Neither of the two groups led by the petitioners (E Madhusudhanan, O Panneerselvam, and S Semmalai) and the respondents (VK Sasikala and TTV Dinakaran) shall be permitted to use the name of the party 'All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam' simplicitor,” the EC ordered.
