RK Nagar MLA TTV Dhinakaran has been unanimously elected General Secretary of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam(AMMK). The leader, who had been serving as the party’s Deputy General Secretary was elevated on Friday, a day after polls to 38 Lok Sabha seats and 18 assembly seats concluded in Tamil Nadu. The General Council of the AMMK met at the party headquarters in Chennai's Ashok Nagar and also decided to register AMMK as a political party with the Election Commission(EC).
Speaking to reporters in Chennai on Friday, AMMK leader Thanga Thamilchelvan said that said that the move was in view of the four upcoming bye-polls in the state on May 19. “The Supreme Court had asked us to register as a political party but we didn’t have time then. When we ask for a symbol for the four bye-polls, they (the EC) will ask us if we have registered our party.” he explained. The decision comes weeks after the Supreme Court ended the tussle between TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK and the ruling AIADMK over the two-leaves party symbol. Dhinakaran’s group was denied the symbol by the apex given and was instead given the ‘gift pack’ symbol to contest the polls.
However, this also means that Dhinakaran’s aunt and close aide of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa VK Sasikala is no longer chief of the year-old party. Sasikala is currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru following her conviction in the disproportionate assets case. Dhinakaran had launched the AMMK in March last year in Madurai and had announced Sasikala as the General Secretary.
When asked if Sasikala was aware of the development, given that Dhinakaran had not met her in prison over the last couple of weeks, party leader Thanga Thamilchelvan said that they had proof that this the decisions were taken in consultation with Sasikala. “It’s no problem.” he said. What role would Sasikala would play in the party? He said, "After she comes(out of prison), she would be the party leader. A deputy leader would also be appointed by TTV Dhinakaran.”
The political developments that followed her appointment as party chief saw Sasikala and her faction being ousted from the party by present AIADMK Joint Coordinator and Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami. He then united with rebel leader and current Coordinator and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam only to abolish the post of General Secretary.
In a recent interview to News18 Tamil, TTV Dhinakaran said, “I am not going to file a revision in the Supreme Court (on the two-leaves case). Our General Secretary is the person eligible for that. If a review petition has been to be filed, she can do it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm of the view that a revision petition need not be filed, the party(AMMK) should be registered. I am not going to legally fight for the two leaves symbol anymore.”