Erode East by-poll: EPS knocks SC’s door to get 'Two-Leaves'

CHENNAI: Gearing up for the Erode East Constituency by-poll, the Edappadi K Palaniswami camp knocked the doors of the Supreme Court on Friday for a remedy to get the 'Two-Leaves' symbol for candidate from his faction. The EPS camp resorted to this after the Election Commission of India (ECI) refused to give the symbol due to the ongoing tussle over the party leadership.

"Since the Election Commission of India (ECI) is denying the 'Two-Leaves' symbol for us, we have approached the SC and mentioned it. The Court has asked to approach it on Monday and mention it again," said a senior leader in the EPS faction and added that since the court reserved the judgement, there is no provision to file an interim application.

The EPS camp cited Section 29 A of the Representation of the People Act and considered the appointment of EPs as the interim General Secretary of the AIADMK party, besides abolishing the coordinator post held by friend-turned-foe O Panneerselvam. "We are hopeful of getting a favourable order by Monday or well before filing the nomination for the by poll," Organising Secretary and former minister S Semmalai said.

O Panneerselvam and his camp, on the other hand, maintained strategic silence, while EPS camp held meetings with party senior leaders, members of the election committee and booth level committees for the second consecutive days in Erode. On Friday, six more party functionaries were appointed to the election committee, thus taking the total number of the members to 117.

They were also holding discussion to devise strategies to contest the by-poll without or without the symbol and also discussion on candidature to take on the DMK backed Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan in the February 27 by-poll. It was necessitated following the demise of Elangovan's son and Congress MLA E Thirumahan Everaa.