After Sasikala's vain attempt to become chief minister, Dinakaran, who is leading the party in the absence of her jailed aunt, contesting the by-poll gains significance and in case of his victory, he would in all likelihood replace Edappadi K Palanisami as the CM.
The April 12 bypoll to the Chennai's RK Nagar Assembly constituency, which was represented by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, is all set to witness a tough battle between her niece Deepa Jayakumar and TTV Dinakaran, the nephew of her close aide VK Sasikala.
Days after Deepa, the self-proclaimed political heir of Jayalalithaa entered the poll fray, Dinakaran, 53, was named as the candidate of the Sasikala-led official faction on Wednesday. Former CM O Panneerselvam's AIADMK faction, which is yet to name a candidate for the seat, is busy staking claim for the party's symbol 'Two Leaves' with the Election Commission in New Delhi to establish itself as the real party. DMK has named 42-year-old N Maruthuganesh, a local functionary and a part-time reporter in a Tamil daily.
After Sasikala's vain attempt to become chief minister, Dinakaran, who is leading the party in the absence of her jailed aunt, contesting the by-poll gains significance and in case of his victory, he would in all likelihood replace Edappadi K Palanisami as the CM.
Sasikala readmitted Dinakaran and made him party's deputy general secretary hours before she left to Bengaluru prison following the conviction in the Jayalalithaa's disproportionate assets case. Dinakaran is the only member of the Sasikala's clan to have tested electoral waters so far. He had won from the Periyakulam Lok Sabha seat in 1999 and was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2004. Dinakaran ensured successful floor test of Palaniswami led AIADMK government following the rebellion of Panneerselvam. The rebel AIADMK camp is likely to nominate its presidium chairman E. Madhusudhanan.
Speaking to reporters here, Dinakaran said that he would win the election with a margin of 50,000 votes. To a question on whether he would become the Chief Minister, he said, "I have no intention of becoming Chief Minister. Our Annan (brother) Edappadi K.Palaniswami is our Chief Minister," he said.
Political analyst Gnani said that Dinakaran is contesting the polls only to become the chief minister. "The ruling party will use its money and muscle power to get its candidate elected. Being a by-election, they will use all their power to win the election," he said, pointing to the Tamil Nadu's dubious record of only the ruling party wining the by-poll since 1999. Moreover, he noted that the DMK's candidate was not a known personality. In a three-cornered fight for Jayalalithaa's legacy, he said that to an extent AIADMK voters would get split but it would not help the DMK if the ruling party deploys its money and muscle power.
Legal cases
Dinakaran has been found guilty of money laundering and benami transactions in a 1996 case. In January this year, the Madras High Court confirmed a penalty of Rs 25 crore imposed on him by the Directorate of Enforcement. The ED had booked him under FERA after huge sums of money were deposited into his bank account between the years 1991-1996, coinciding with Jayalalithaa's first term as CM.
Like his aunt, Dinakaran too has other FERA cases pending before court. The ED had in 2015 moved Madras High Court not only to challenge Sasikala's discharge in FERA cases, but also that of Dinakaran in two cases.
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