OPS Faction Candidate Files Nomination From R K Nagar

Chennai: Senior AIADMK leader from the Panneerselvam camp, E Madhusudhanan, on Thursday filed his nomination from the R K Nagar constituency for the April 12 bypoll.

"People of this constituency desire rule of O Panneerselvam in Tamil Nadu. He has been working for their welfare...my victory prospects in this election are bright," he told reporters here after filing his nomination.

"We are firm in our objective -- it is to fight against family rule in AIADMK," he said.

In the upcoming bypoll, the OPS camp will use the 'electric pole' as its symbol and will be called AIADMK (Puratchithalaivi Amma).

The Sasikala camp will contest as AIADMK (Amma) and will use the 'hat' as its symbol.

The Election Commission had yesterday issued an interim order freezing the 'two leaves' election symbol of AIADMK, saying both the rival camps cannot use the party symbol as well as its name for the bypoll.

"AIADMK Founder M G Ramachandran fought against (DMK-led by M Karunanidhi) family rule and formed AIADMK which was then taken care of by Amma (Jayalalithaa). Amma did not favour any family rule in party. She reinstated Sasikala only as an assistant...even Amma did not reinstate AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T T V Dinakaran or Divakaran or even Sudhakaran into the party," Madhusudhanan said.

Sasikala was appointed AIADMK General Secretary last year, and soon after she was convicted by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case, she appointed her nephew T T V Dinakaran as Deputy General Secretary on February 15.

Former Minister K Pandiarajan said the party's election manifesto would be released on Friday.

"Two prominent issues that will be highlighted in the manifesto is to develop the R K Nagar constituency and to solve the mystery behind the death of Amma (J Jayalalithaa).

It was under Madhusudhanan the first bridge was constructed here 21 years ago," he said.

Today is the last day for filing the nomination papers.

The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa who was elected from R K Nagar.