Dhinakaran names new party 'Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam', unveils flag with Jayalalithaa in centre

Rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Thursday floated a new party, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam named after the late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Dhinakaran, who has the support of several dissident party workers and leaders, said the new outfit would capture power in the state and unveiled the party's flag, which features the image of a smiling Jayalalithaa in the middle.

The flag is black on top and red below with white in the middle.

In his brief address at a venue near this Tamil Nadu town, Dhinakaran recalled the difficulties faced by party workers in carrying forward their organisational work without a name.

The Delhi High Court was approached in the matter and directed the Election Commission to allot the 'pressure cooker' symbol to him, he said.

Dhinakaran won from the symbol in the RK Nagar bypoll last December with a huge majority.

Party mouthpiece Dr Namadhu MGR on Wednesday refrained from using the word 'party' and instead used 'organisation' to refer to the new outfit.

An organisation name, flag and symbol were needed till the AIADMK and the 'two-leaves' symbol nurtured by 'Amma' was retrieved, Dhinakaran had said, according to the party daily.

Former ministers V Senthil Balaji and P Palaniappan, senior leaders such as S Anbazhagan, disqualified MLAs and Dhinakaran loyalists, including P Vetrivel, and Thanga Tamil Selvan, were among those who participated at the event.

Speakers at the meeting lambasted the Chief Minister K Palaniswami-led regime and said it comprised betrayers.

Vetrivel presented a "veera vaal," (a spear) to Dhinakaran before he announced the party name.