TTV Dinakaran reaches Melur, to launch new political party shortly

AIADMK sidelined leader TTV Dinakaran to announce his political party and to unveil its new flag in Madurai's Melur on Thursday. Dinakaran is an independent MLA from RK Nagar constituency. Dinakaran, the nephew of the sidelined ex-AIADMK chief VK Sasikala, won the RK Nagar by-election held in December 2017.

AIADMK finishes second and retained security deposit. All the other candidates, 57 of them including the DMK's Marudhuganesh, had forfeited deposit. The RK Nagar was left vacant after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He is launching the new party two days after the Delhi High Court directed the Election Commission to allot a symbol and a suitable name for the AIADMK faction Dinakaran.

The Sasikala-Dhinakaran faction has also given a list of three names - All India Amma Anna Dhravidar Munnetra Kazhagam, MGR Amma Dravidar Munnetra Kazhagam and MGR Amma Dhravidar Kazhagam - seeking that one of them be temporarily allotted to them. Madurai, hailed as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is politically important for the state leaders. Madurai is seen as the land of the Thevars, a politically dominant community that has inspired many Kamal Haasan films. One of his most popular hits was "Thevar Magan" Actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan launched his party 'Makkal Neethi Meyam' in Madurai. Former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran always fought elections in and around Madurai. Actor Vijaykanth also launched his party there in 2005.