'Two-leaves' war: Opposition attacks Deepa Jayakumar for approaching EC

Bangalore/Chennai [India], June 16 (ANI): Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar approached the Election Commission on Thursday, staking claim in the party's 'two-leaves' symbol on grounds of being its 'original curator'. Additionally, Deepa also moved the EC regarding conducting an election for the post of General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). In the wake of this, Deepa received flak from members of the opposition, who claimed that there was no weight to this, since she is not a member of the AIADMK. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader S. Prakash, who coined her acts as that for gaining publicity, said the situation in Tamil Nadu is not politics, but 'drama'. "Since most politicians in the state have a film background, they have decided to carry forward that into politics as well. Deepa Jayakumar is doing all this only for publicity. Situation in the state is high on drama. Her approach to EC does not carry any weight," Prakash told ANI. Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson A. Sarvanan said the future of the political rift depends on how Deepa is accepted by the people of Tamil Nadu. Deepa came into limelight post the demise of her aunt, primarily for being denied access to visit the ailing 'Amma' at Apollo Hospital. After this, Deepa announced her entry into politics. Ahead of the RK Nagar bye-poll that was cancelled due to alleged vote-buying, Deepa created the MGR Amma Deepa Peravai - a federation, and filed her nomination as an independent candidate for the bye-poll. Most recently, she alleged that her brother Deepak invited her to Poes Garden in order to kill her so that he can stake claim of Veda Nilayam, the residence of 'Amma'. "He intentionally called me and very emotionally was trying to convince me. This was definitely a trap, this was a ploy to kill me," Deepa said. Deepa said she was invited by her brother on the pretext of performing a puja inside the premise. "He invited me to perform some puja on the pretext of which he had actually called me over there and I had no idea, I was terribly shocked. I am sure that this was a coup attempt by Sasikala, Dinakaran and Deepak," she said. Deepa further informed that she has all the documents of the property and has already taken a legal course on this. "I have all the documents, it used to belong to my grandmother. I have already have staked claim for the property, it is not only for the purpose of staking claim to the property, my aim is to stake claim of the legacy of my aunt including the party, and her esteemed valuable belongings whatever she cherished," she said. She asserted that it was her "moral, ethical and legal right" to acquire Poes Garden, adding that she would seek the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the same. Earlier during the day, Deepa was not allowed to enter her aunt's house and was roughed up by private security guards. Earlier in April, the EC directed both factions of the AIADMK, namely those led by O. Paneerselvam and E. Palanisamy, to remove the 'two leaves' symbol from all its official websites and social media and submit the compliance report by April 8. "Both the aforesaid parties were issued show cause notices for the said act which violates the Model Code of Conduct, comes within the ambit of corrupt practice as defined under Sec. 123(4) of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 and also violates Sec. 171(G) of the Indian Penal Code," the letter stated. The poll panel asserted that it has found the AIADMK faction of Sasikala is still using the original election symbol of the AIADMK which amounted to publication of 'false information' and is an election offence under section 171 (G) of the Indian Penal Code ( IPC). Rival AIADMK factions were allotted new symbols and names after the poll panel barred them from using the undivided party's election symbol for the R. K. Nagar Assembly by-polls on April 9, which were eventually cancelled. (ANI)