With the Election Commission announcing that bye-elections to the RK Nagar constituency will be held before December 31, the focus is back on late CM Jayalalithaa’s former constituency.
On Monday, the AIADMK’s sidelined Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran said that he will contest the RK Nagar elections if the party’s governing body decides that he should.
Addressing media persons outside his residence in Adyar, TTV said, “The governing body will decide. Don't think I'm hesitating to contest. If the governing body decides... and I'm already awaiting their decision, I'm confident that they will pick me."
TTV also claimed confidence that the Election Commission’s decision on the Two Leaves symbol will go in the favour of his faction. “We are confident of getting the Two Leaves symbol. If the judgement is not in our favour, we will approach the court,” said Dhinakaran.
TTV’s statement comes just two days after Dairy Minister Rajenthra Bhalaji blurted out during a speech that the united AIADMK under CM Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam will receive the Two Leaves symbol as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on their side.
When asked about the Minister’s statement, TTV said, “Modi is not part of the Election Commission. The EC is an independent body. These people are trying to please the Central Government. They are scared of central agencies, and if the Central Government helps them, then people will know the truth,” said Dhinakaran.
TTV also denied that his faction was indulging in delaying tactics in the case. “We are not involved in delaying tactics in the Two Leaves symbol case. We are trying to get justice. The Election Commission is not going to take a decision within a day, it will take time. The truth is on our side and we are informing the Election Commission about the issues in the affidavits filed by them,” he said.
He added that the case was continuing because it is taking time for the Election Commission to check the authenticity of documents submitted to them. If needed, the court would be asked to provide the Election Commission for more time in deciding the issue.
The RK Nagar bye-election was earlier scheduled to take place on April 12 but was cancelled by the Election Commission on April 9, over allegations of corruption and bribery of voters. In June, the Election Commission had informed the Central government that the situation was not conducive to carry out free and fair elections and had asked that the deadline for the bye-election be postponed further.
In September, the Madras High Court had directed the Election Commission to conduct the bye-election in RK Nagar constituency before December 31, following a PIL asking for the bye-polls to be conducted at the earliest.