In a major and landmark verdict, the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the AIADMK’s name, the famed ‘Two-Leaves’ party symbol and flag to the unified AIADMK led jointly by deputy chief-minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) and chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), thus disappointing splinter factions of the party led by Deepa (niece of former chief-minister J. Jayalalithaa) and Sasikala’s nephew Dinakaran.

The AIADMK split into two factions in February this year and started functioning as two entities under Sasikala and OPS when the latter thwarted the former’s attempt to become the chief-minister.  During the cancelled R.K. Nagar by-polls which were to be held in April, the EC froze the AIADMK’s name, flag and symbol after which both the factions knocked at EC’s doors demanding allocation of the name, flag and symbol.

After EPS and OPS factions merged and formed a separate ‘unified’ AIADMK more than two months back, observers felt that it would be very difficult for the EC to overlook this factor.  In the meantime, Sasikala’s nephew Dinakaran too filed affidavits/documents with EC, demanding the party’s name, flag and symbol.  His act of filing documents was seen mainly as a delaying tactic.

The EC has been hearing arguments of the concerned parties from 06th October and has had seven such hearing sessions so far after which the concerned parties were asked to file their written arguments.  After the interrogation process was over, it was expected that the verdict could be out at any moment and the much-awaited verdical was finally delivered yesterday.

Not so unexpectedly, the EC pronounced that the party’s name, flag and symbol belonged only to the unified AIADMK led by the OPS-EPS duo and rejected Dinakaran’s request for allotment of the same.  AIADMK cadres, who started the birth centenary celebrations of party’s founder-president MGR on a low-key a few months back, are now buoyed that the party’s future is back on track!

The 83-page verdict by the Election Commission was signed by Chief Election Commissioner A.K. Joti and Election Commissioners Sunil Arora and O.P. Rawat.