For much of 2017, political news in Tamil Nadu was dominated by the fight for control of the AIADMK. It was a tussle between the faction of V.K. Sasikala and the group headed by then chief minister E. Palaniswami and his deputy O. Panneerselvam.
One 'battle' in the larger tussle was for who got to keep the 'two leaves' symbol of the AIADMK. In November of 2017, the Election Commission ruled that the AIADMK group headed by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam would be recognised as holding the right to the 'two leaves' symbol.
The petition to the Election Commission was led by AIADMK presidium chairman E. Madhusudhanan, with the panel giving the group led by him rights to the symbol. Madhusudhanan had been a loyalist of the AIADMK since the era of M.G. Ramachandran. He also served as a minister in the AIADMK government of J. Jayalalithaa.
So, it is no surprise that a trip by Sasikala on Tuesday to see Madhusudhanan will trigger a buzz. Madhusudhanan (80) had been admitted to the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on account of various ailments. Sasikala was quoted by Sun News as saying she had come to meet Madhusudhanan after learning of his health given his devotion to the AIADMK. Sasikala said Madhusudhanan joined the AIADMK at the age of 14 and started the MGR Mandram; she described him as being a loyalist of Jayalalithaa and MGR.
Incidentally, Palaniswami, who had arrived at Apollo Hospitals to meet Madhusudhanan on Tuesday, left without meeting the ageing leader, when informed of Sasikala's arrival.
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Sasikala was spotted arriving at the Apollo Hospitals in a car that sported the AIADMK flag. The visit has triggered a buzz, given the perception that the group that has Madhusudhanan on its side will hold the 'two leaves' symbol. Both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam have wanted Madhusudhanan in their camp.
Panneerselvam visited Madhusudhanan on Monday evening.
(With inputs from Lakshmi Subramanian)