2019 polls: Dhinakaran’s AMMK gets gift box as common symbol

The Election Commission has allotted ‘gift box’ symbol as a common symbol for the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), led by T T V Dhinakaran.

Even as electioneering had begun, members of the AMMK had been canvassing without a symbol and merely asking people to vote for Dhinakaran’s party.

Dhinkaran, the deputy general secretary of the party, had taken the case of the Supreme Court, laying claim to the two leaves symbol of the AIADMK, stating that he was the original All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

When election time neared, the party sought the pressure cooker symbol, using which Dhinakaran had won the Radhakrishnan Nagar by-election following the death of AIADMK MLA and chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The Supreme Court bench under Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had wondered how he can lay claim to both symbols.

It then decreed that the AMMK be allotted a common symbol as it was contesting in all the 40 Lok Sabha seats and 18 Assembly seats and would be unviable for the party to be allotted different symbols.

Today, the EC allotted gift box symbol for Dhinakaran’s party. Commenting on the symbol, AMMK leader and Theni candidate Thanga Thamizhselvan said they would now go ahead and campaign vigorously with the gift box symbol and become victorious.

But, on the contrary, AIADMK Minister Rajenthra Bhalaji has said the AMMK will not be able to popularise the new symbol against established parties like the DMK and AIADMK. He said Dhinkaran’s candidates would lose their deposit and not win a single parliamentary seat or Assembly seat.

AMMK candidates have already started canvassing with the gift box.