Coimbatore : It would have been curtains for the AMMK camp had the Supreme Court heeded to the pleas of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and agreed that the 54 candidates of TTV Dhinakaran’s group could contest with 54 different symbols. The apex court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (JCI) Ranjan Gogoi said that they had considered the political future of Dhinakaran, which could well wind up if his followers were to contest in different symbols.
TTV Dhinakaran, the estranged leader of the anti-AIADMK group, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) which is neither registered nor recognised by the Election Commission of India as a political party will be hanging on to his popularity and charisma as an able leader to make his remaining cadres stick loyally to his side as the SC ruling offers the rest a free pass to jump sides, if victorious in the upcoming elections.
Coimbatore : It would have been curtains for the AMMK camp had the Supreme Court heeded to the pleas of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and agreed that the 54 candidates of TTV Dhinakaran’s group could contest with 54 different symbols. The apex court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (JCI) Ranjan Gogoi said that they had considered the political future of Dhinakaran, which could well wind up if his followers were to contest in different symbols.
“Giving different symbols to his candidates will ruin his career,” observed the Bench while directing the ECI to offer his group a common symbol to contest in the Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly by-polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. They were also critical of Dhinakaran for not registering his group with the ECI as a political party, which is mandatory according to section 29 A, which could have easily won him a common symbol. They observed that he could have done it when the Court denied his SLP earlier.
The legal team of the rivals, the OPS-EPS faction also rubbished Dhinakaran’s claims as useless according to the Section 29 A, since according to them he was not complying with the Section at all, despite it being a mandate. Dhinakaran’s advocates, Kapil Sibal and A M Singhvi countered saying that had Dhinakaran registered his party, it would have been an easy walk over for the EPS-OPS-led faction to claim the 'Two-Leaves' symbol, for which Dhinakaran had fought while the Delhi High Court offerd him the 'Pressure Cooker' symbol. Dhinakaran went on to win the R K Nagar by-poll using the 'Pressure Cooker' symbol, and defeating the famous 'Two-leaves' symbol.
The Bench on the other hand looked at the sad turn of events for Dhinakaran claiming he had “missed the bus considering himself heir to the AIADMK." Dhinakaran’s candidates who filed their nominations on March 26, Tuesday being the last day to file nominations, will now have to contest in one of the 198 symbols offered by the ECI. Though Dhinakaran had claimed the 'Pressure Cooker' symbol, he is unlikely to get it considering the counter statements from the Supreme Court, the EPS-OPS faction and the ECI itself.
The SC's ruling has sent a shock wave through the Dhinakaran camp, since the SC’s statements announcing the group’s candidates as independents would mean Dhinakaran’s grip on his candidates will be loosened since they will now be free to jump to any political party in the event of winning the election. Since they are not controlled by a whip, they will be considered as independents who are free to shift their allegiance. This could play a big role if any of the national parties do not get a majority. It could also be the case if the Tamil Nadu Assembly fails to see a majority after the by-polls in the 18 constituencies. Dhinakaran would have to muster up all his strategies to keep the legally but loosely-knit candidates under his belt since they cannot be dethroned from their electoral positions, even in the event of shifting their allegiance if they won in the elections.
Coimbatore : It would have been curtains for the AMMK camp had the Supreme Court heeded to the pleas of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and agreed that the 54 candidates of TTV Dhinakaran’s group could contest with 54 different symbols. The apex court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (JCI) Ranjan Gogoi said that they had considered the political future of Dhinakaran, which could well wind up if his followers were to contest in different symbols.
“Giving different symbols to his candidates will ruin his career,” observed the Bench while directing the ECI to offer his group a common symbol to contest in the Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly by-polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. They were also critical of Dhinakaran for not registering his group with the ECI as a political party, which is mandatory according to section 29 A, which could have easily won him a common symbol. They observed that he could have done it when the Court denied his SLP earlier.
The legal team of the rivals, the OPS-EPS faction also rubbished Dhinakaran’s claims as useless according to the Section 29 A, since according to them he was not complying with the Section at all, despite it being a mandate. Dhinakaran’s advocates, Kapil Sibal and A M Singhvi countered saying that had Dhinakaran registered his party, it would have been an easy walk over for the EPS-OPS-led faction to claim the 'Two-Leaves' symbol, for which Dhinakaran had fought while the Delhi High Court offerd him the 'Pressure Cooker' symbol. Dhinakaran went on to win the R K Nagar by-poll using the 'Pressure Cooker' symbol, and defeating the famous 'Two-leaves' symbol.
The Bench on the other hand looked at the sad turn of events for Dhinakaran claiming he had “missed the bus considering himself heir to the AIADMK." Dhinakaran’s candidates who filed their nominations on March 26, Tuesday being the last day to file nominations, will now have to contest in one of the 198 symbols offered by the ECI. Though Dhinakaran had claimed the 'Pressure Cooker' symbol, he is unlikely to get it considering the counter statements from the Supreme Court, the EPS-OPS faction and the ECI itself.
The SC's ruling has sent a shock wave through the Dhinakaran camp, since the SC’s statements announcing the group’s candidates as independents would mean Dhinakaran’s grip on his candidates will be loosened since they will now be free to jump to any political party in the event of winning the election. Since they are not controlled by a whip, they will be considered as independents who are free to shift their allegiance. This could play a big role if any of the national parties do not get a majority. It could also be the case if the Tamil Nadu Assembly fails to see a majority after the by-polls in the 18 constituencies. Dhinakaran would have to muster up all his strategies to keep the legally but loosely-knit candidates under his belt since they cannot be dethroned from their electoral positions, even in the event of shifting their allegiance if they won in the elections.