OPS confident of fielding candidates on two leaves symbol after talks with BJP

CHENNAI: 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 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, JCD Prabhakar, PH Manoj Pandian for 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 to a question about the bone of contention over the symbol and the AIADMK led by its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

It may be recalled that the Election Commission 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.

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

Two leaves row

However, party insiders in the AIADMK and political observers opined that efforts to freeze the symbol was the handiwork of the BJP and OPS ahead of the Lok Sabha 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.