Chennai, Nov 1 (PTI) The ruling AIADMK Thursday flayedrebel leader T T V Dhinakaran for saying it would "struggle"to secure deposit in the bypolls to 20 Assembly seats,including those of the 18 disqualified party MLAs, and saidthose in the rival camp were in a "confused state of mind."
It said Dhinakaran's statement showed how much thefamily of deposed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, includingDhinakaran, was "against" former Chief Minister JJayalalithaa.
On Wednesday, Dhinakaran had said in Madurai that the18 disqualified MLAs will not appeal against the Madras HighCourt verdict upholding their disqualification, as decided bythem originally, and face the elections, seen as a U-turn byhis critics. AIADMK ridiculed Dhinakaran for his volte-face andsaid the disqualified MLAs were in a "confused state of mind."
"They have perhaps decided against appealing sinceit is clear that they might not win the case in the SupremeCourt.
Two judges (of the Madras High Court) had upheld thedisqualification," party spokesperson R M Babu Murugavel, alsoan advocate, told PTI. Dhinakaran had exuded confidence that his Amma MakkalMunnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) will trump the AIADMK in the bypolls.
"We are not going for an appeal. We will be facing thepolls... AMMK will secure a grand victory in all 20 seats andAIADMK has to struggle to even secure deposit," he had said.
While the 18 segments have fallen vacant followingthe disqualification process, two other seats-- Thiruvarur andThirupparankundram, are also vacant due to the death of therespective MLAs, then DMK chief M Karunanidhi, and AK Bose ofthe AIADMK.
Opposition parties, including DMK, have demanded thatbypolls should be immediately held for all 20 seats.
Earlier, following the October 25 High Court orderupholding their disqualification by Speaker P Dhanapal lastyear, the MLAs had decided to move the apex court, afterholding consultations with Dhinakaran in Madurai.
The Madras High Court had upheld the June 14 order ofthe then chief justice disqualifying them.
Justice M Sathyanarayanan had heard the pleas of therival parties after a bench of then Chief Justice IndiraBanerjee and Justice M Sundar gave a split verdict onJune 14.
On Thursday, Murugavel took exception to Dhinakaran'sremarks that AIADMK would 'struggle' to secure deposit in the20 seats if bypolls were held there.
"When he himself says that AIADMK will lose deposit,it shows how much they (Sasikala's family) were against theparty and Amma," he said.
Jayalalithaa is addressed as Amma by party supporters.
To a query, he said his party was prepared to face thepolls anytime.
This was evident from the fact that it had recentlynamed election in-charge for all 20 seats, including AIADMKcoordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, for therespective segments.
Murugavel expressed confidence that the ruling partywould emerge victorious in all 20 seats, if the elections wereto be held "even tomorrow." PTI SA BNRBS RBS11011654NNNN.
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