Political parties in Tamil Nadu heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday when the Supreme Court refused to grant the 'pressure cooker' as election symbol to TTV Dhinakaran led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).

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After failing to secure two leaves as the election symbol, the official symbol of AIADMK (from which Dhinakaran was expelled in 2017), AMMK was symbolised by the kitchen essential while contesting the Radha Krishna Nagar assembly seat.

To the chagrin of his rivals, Dhinakaran adjusted the flame to his advantage. He lured voters by freely distributing pressure cookers – containing coupons that could be exchanged at select shops or through AMMK party agents after his victory– among voters.

After winning the bypoll by a margin of 4000 votes, Dhinakaran moved Delhi High Court requesting use of the pressure cooker and a suitable name for political activities while the writ petition was pending. However, his political rivals beseeched EC to withdraw the 'whistle-blower' and accord Dhinakaran something that cannot be distributed freely to voters.

On March 2018, Delhi High Court directed EC to allot a common symbol, preferably a 'pressure cooker' and a name to the then AIADMK (Amma) faction led by Dhinakaran. A faction led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami moved the Apex court challenging the High Court order that allotted Dhinakaran the pressure cooker.

On Thursday, a Bench comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Ajay Rastogi said if the High Court does not dispose of the pending case within four weeks, EC may proceed as per the March 2018 order.

"If poll dates for vacant seats in Tamil Nadu are announced within four weeks, then the commission may allocate the symbol to Dhinakaran's party within a week, as per the high court order," the Bench said.

Ever since the death of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in December 2016, there has been constant infighting within the party. Presently, there are two factions – one led by Jayalalithaa's close aide VK Sasikala and her nephew Dhinakaran, and the other led by Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam.

In March 2017, EC froze the 'AIADMK' name and its poll symbol, the two leaves. Post the merger of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam factions, EC recognised it as a party and allowed it to use the two leaves.

Battling It Out

Since AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, there has been infighting within the party’s two factions, one later broke away, over party name and symbol.

Off The Stove

  • In December 2018, Dhinakaran contested for the Radha Krishna Nagar seat in the Tamil Nadu bypolls using the utensil as party symbol
  • He distributed pressure cookers, which held coupons that could be redeemed at select stores, among voters. AMMK won by 4,000 votes