Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016 triggered a series of political events in the ruling AIADMK. Now, over four years later, the fight for Jayalalithaa’s legacy and the battle for the two leaves symbol is far from over.
The return of VK Sasikala, Jayalalithaa’s close aide, to Tamil Nadu’s political scene after her four-year imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case has sent ripples through the AIADMK. Her decision to travel in a car bearing the AIADMK flag, despite Tamil Nadu Ministers filing a complaint with the police, shows that Sasikala will not bow out without a fight for the party that she once headed.
Will Sasikala be able to wrest control of the AIADMK from Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, the man whom she had put in charge post her conviction, and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, the man who had launched a ‘dharma yudham’ against her?
TNM plots the timeline of events that took place since Jayalalithaa’s demise and where the fight for the two leaves symbol currently stands.
Here’s the timeline of the legal battle for the two leaves symbol:
> December 5, 2016: After 72 days of hospitalisation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passed away at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Soon after her demise, O Panneerselvam is sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
> December 31, 2016: AIADMK General Council appoints VK Sasikala as the General Secretary, a post that was held by Jayalalithaa from 1989 until her death.
> February 5, 2017: O Panneerselvam resigns as Chief Minister, paving the way for Sasikala to take over.
> February 7, 2017: Caretaker CM O Panneerselvam launches a ‘dharma yudham’ against Sasikala at Jayalalithaa's memorial. Sasikala expels Panneerselvam from the party, calling him a traitor. AIADMK splits into two factions - one led by OPS and the other by Sasikala.
> February 12, 2017: Sasikala herds AIADMK MLAs to a resort in Koovathur near Chennai.
> February 14, 2017: The Supreme Court upholds the trial court’s judgment in the disproportionate assets case, convicting Sasikala to four years in jail. Sasikala appoints Edappadi K Palaniswami as the leader of the legislative party. She also appoints TTV Dhinakaran, her nephew, as the AIADMK's Deputy General Secretary.
> February 16, 2017: Palaniswami takes oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
> February 18, 2017: Palaniswami wins the trust vote 122-11, with O Panneerselvam and his supporters voting against EPS.
> March 9, 2017: The Election Commission calls for a by-election to the RK Nagar constituency, which became vacant after Jayalalithaa’s demise. Madhusudhanan from the OPS camp and TTV Dhinakaran from the EPS camp announce their candidature for the by-poll.
> March 22, 2017: The two camps once again lock horns over the two leaves symbols. After hearing both the factions, the Election Commission freezes the two leaves symbol and bars the parties from using the name of AIADMK and the symbol for the RK Nagar election.
> March 23, 2017: After freezing the symbol, the Election Commission provides the OPS camp with the name AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) and the electric pole symbol, while the Palaniswami faction gets the name AIADMK (Amma) with hat.
> April 9, 2017: The Election Commission cancels the RK Nagar by-elections due to evidence of corruption by AIADMK (Amma).
> April 17, 2017: Dhinakaran booked for allegedly bribing Election Commission officials over the two leaves symbols issue.
> April 21, 2017: The two camps begin merger talks as Panneerselvam demands AIADMK oust Sasikala and her family, and conduct an investigation into Jayalalithaa’s death.
> April 26, 2017: The Election Commission arrests Dhinakaran for allegedly bribing EC officials.
> June 16, 2017: As talks for merger fail, O Panneerselvam's faction submits affidavits to claim the two leaves symbol.
> August 7, 2017: The Tamil Nadu government decides to constitute an inquiry commission headed by retired judge Arumughaswamy to investigate Jayalalithaa’s death.
> August 21, 2017: The two camps in the AIADMK, one led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and the other led by O Panneerselvam, formally merge. Panneerselvam is made Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
> September 12, 2017: The AIADMK General Council passes a resolution removing Sasikala as General Secretary and TTV Dhinakaran as Deputy General Secretary.
> November 23, 2017: The Election Commission allotts the two leaves symbol to Palaniswami-Panneerselvam. The EC allotts the symbol based on the majority support that EPS-OPS enjoy both in the organisational and legislature wings of the AIADMK.
> December 24, 2017: TTV Dhinakaran wins the RK Nagar seat by contesting as an independent candidate. He defeats AIADMK's Madhusudhanan by 40,707 votes.
> March 15, 2018: TTV Dhinakaran floats Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.
> February 28, 2019: Delhi HC dismisses plea by TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala against Election Commission’s order allotting the two leaves symbol to EPS and OPS.
> March 11, 2019: TTV Dhinakaran moves Supreme Court against Delhi High Court order. The case is yet to be listed in the apex court.
> January 27, 2021: Sasikala formally released from Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru after completing her four-year imprisonment.
> January 31, 2021: Sasikala discharged from Victoria Hospital post COVID-19 treatment. She travels in a car with the AIADMK flag.
> February 8, 2021: Sasikala returns to Chennai from Bengaluru amidst a massive roadshow.