Reporter's dairy: AIADMK faction feud headache for TN poll panel

CHENNAI: The infighting in AIADMK between former chief ministers Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Paneerselvam has not only added to the litigation list of Madras High court, but Election Commission officials are also feeling the heat with both leaders petitioning the officials claiming right over the party.

Earlier this week, election officials in the Secretariat had invited political parties to attend an event related to linking of Aadhaar cards with electoral photo ID cards. Subsequently, the EPS-led faction moved a complaint to the local poll officials stating that only they should be recognised as the recognised party.

This not only added the organisers’ mental agony, but the election officials felt it was tough to handle the factional feud of AIADMK. As the political drama continued, the relief came from the Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer Sathyabrata Sahoo.

“Who is the original AIADMK is a matter that has to be finalised by the Election Commission of India in Delhi. Further, multiple litigations are pending between them,” Sahoo told his department officials instructing them to downplay the political drama. “This is an awareness event to reach voters and to prevent controversy, so invite both the factions as AIADMK,” Sahoo said giving a solution to his subordinates, who had received petitions from both factions of AIADMK demanding that the office of CEO should ignore their factional rival.