AIADMK factions get 'Electric Pole', 'Cap'

Chennai: The Election Commission on Thursday allotted the symbol "Electric Pole" to the AIADMK faction led by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and the "Cap" to the ruling AIADMK group.

"We have been given 'Electric Pole' to fight the by-election from Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency. And our group will be called the 'AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma'," former MP K.C. Palaniswamy told IANS.

On the other hand, the AIADMK faction led by the now jailed General Secretary V.K. Sasikala has been given the "cap" symbol and would be known as "AIADMK Amma".

The ruling AIADMK split into two factions after the death of Chief Minister and party icon J. Jayalalithaa.

The allotment of the symbols is important as a by-election will be held on April 12 to the Tamil Nadu assembly from Radhakrishnan Nagar, which was represented by the late Jayalalithaa.

AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran will contest in Radhakrishnan Nagar on behalf of the ruling party. The Panneerselvam faction has fielded E. Madhusudanan.

In an interim order on Wednesday night, the Election Commission froze the 'two leaves" symbol of the now divided AIADMK and ruled that neither faction will use the original party name in the by-election.