Former Tamil Nadu chief minister late J. Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar on Friday said that she has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to grant more time to file the affidavit to claim the party's 'two-leaves' symbol, adding that she can submit more than two lakhs affidavits in her favour to support the same.
"I have requested for extra time to submit affidavit in Election Commission. I can submit more than two lakhs of affidavits in my support," Jayakumar said in a press briefing here.
She said that the party cadres want her to lead the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Party and claim the symbol, adding that it is not necessary for her to be the MLA or MP as she already has the support of the party members.
"From the starting till the end the party members support me. The only hurdle is in the R.K. Nagar by-polls," she added.
Slamming former Tamil Nadu chief minister O. Panneerselvam, Jayakumar said that even the former played with money for his benefit which was revealed in a sting operation.
Further claiming her right on late AIADMK general secretary's Poes Garden home, Jayakumar said, "Veda Nilayam (Poes garden) is my Grandmother's property. That legally makes it mine. I have started my legal action to claim the same three weeks back. The people who are staying in that house have no right over it," she said.
Earlier on Thursday, Jayakumar approached the Election Commission, staking claim in the party's 'two-leaves' symbol on grounds of being its 'original curator'.
Additionally, she also moved the Election Commission regarding conducting an election for the post of General Secretary of the AIADMK.
Jayakumar came into limelight post the demise of her aunt, primarily for being denied access to visit the ailing 'Amma' at Apollo Hospital. After this, she announced her entry into politics.
Ahead of the R. K. Nagar bye-poll that was cancelled due to alleged vote-buying, Jayakumar 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," Jayakumar said.
She 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.
Jayakumar 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, Jayakumar was not allowed to enter her aunt's house and was roughed up by private security guards.
In April, the Election Commission directed both factions of the AIADMK, namely those led by Paneerselvam and E. Palanisamy, to remove the 'two leaves' symbol from all its official websites and social media and submit the compliance report byApril 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.
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