AIADMK two leaves symbol case: Resolve the matter by April, SC tells Delhi HC

The top court has asked the Delhi high court to resolve the AIADMK two leaves symbol matter by April.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Delhi High Court order in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) two leaves symbol case and asked its division bench to decide on the matter by April.

The top court ruled that rebel AIADMK leader and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dhinakaran cannot use the 'pressure cooker'` as party symbol till the next hearing in the case.

A bitter political turmoil had engulfed the state of Tamil Nadu ever since former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa passed away in 2016.

Following this, Dhinakaran lost the AIADMK party name and the 'two leaves' symbol to the Palaniswami- Panneerselvam faction.

Dhinakaran was later arrested for alleged bribery and then evicted from the party by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami to patch-up with O Panneerselvam, following a rift in the party that started after Jayalalithaa's death. 

Former AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala, Jayalalithaa's long-time companion, and Dhinakaran were last year expelled following the imprisonment of Sasikala in a corruption case.

The sidelined AIADMK leader, Dhinakaran, who recently won the by-election in Chennai`s RK Nagar constituency - the seat represented by iconic leader Jayalalithaa - had also launched his party `Amma Makkal Munetra Kazhagam` in Madurai on March 15. 

(With ANI inputs)