My candidates will contest on two-leaves symbol, insists OPS after meeting with BJP leaders

CHENNAI: After emerging from the second round of talks with the BJP leaders over seat-sharing formula, ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam exuded a newfound confidence of fielding the candidates from his faction in 'Two-Leaves' symbol in the Lok Sabha polls.

"We will definitely field our candidates in the Two-Leaves symbol," the former coordinator of AIADMK told journalists. He was accompanied by R Vaithilingam, J C D Prabhakar, P H Manoj Pandian to the talks with union minister L Murugan and state BJP president K Annamalai during the late hours of Tuesday.

There are several pending civil suits in the Madras High Court over the party internal affairs and claims over the party symbol. So, the Election Commission of India would decide on the symbol, replied Panneerselvam for a question about bone contention over the symbol and AIADMK led by its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also staked claim on the symbol.

It may be recalled that the ECI issued a notice to Palaniswami on Monday, seeking explanation for the petition submitted by one Suriyamoorthy to freeze the AIADMK symbol till the pending civil suits were disposed of.

On difference of opinion on number of seats and wish list of constituencies in the alliance, Panneerselvam said it was a "mega alliance" with many political parties. The issues would be soon sorted out amicably. "It is quite natural that various parties in an alliance share interest in the same constituency. It will be settled through talks and announcement will be made soon," he said

He skirted away from responding to a question whether he would retain the Theni constituency, which was the only constituency won by AIADMK led NDA front in 2019 polls in TN, represented by his son P Ravindhranath, by saying that "why is it such a hurry. We will let you know once everything finalised".

Row over Two-Leaves symbol

Party insiders in the AIADMK and political observers opined that it was the handiwork of the BJP and OPS faction to freeze the symbol ahead of the LS polls. "Though it was seen as a routine procedure in response to a petition over political affairs, the timing of such a notice (ahead of the polls) creates an impression that it was politically motivated," said an AIADMK functionary handling the issue.