Various groups in the AIADMK are divided on the likelihood of former interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala being able to reap political dividend out of the clean chit provided by the AIIMS medical board to Apollo Hospitals on the issue of the treatment provided to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in 2016.
Given that a political attempt was made in February 2017 to point the needle of suspicion at her over the treatment provided to Jayalalithaa, P.M. Narasimhan, former MLA of Tiruttani and an associate of Ms. Sasikala, says “truth has prevailed”, and her position has been vindicated. Mr. Narasimhan still describes Ms. Sasikala as the general secretary of the AIADMK. [She has preferred an appeal before the Madras High Court against an Additional City Civil Court’s April 11 order, rejecting her plaint which wanted her removal from the post in September 2017 to be declared illegal and void.]
On the contrary, a senior legislator of the camp belonging to co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami argues that the development will not be beneficial to Ms. Sasikala. Meanwhile, Kovai K. Selvaraj, a supporter of coordinator O. Panneerselvam, says the question of Ms. Sasikala benefiting politically out of the AIIMS medical board’s finding does not arise, as the issue of Jayalalithaa’s death is beyond politics, and it is a “matter of great emotional significance” to the party cadre.
