Amid the intense tussle between AIADMK leaders O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami over the party’s leadership, V.K. Sasikala, the aide of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and former interim general secretary of the party, on Sunday started a road show in Tiruvallur district, trying to drum up support.
Calling it ‘Puratchi Payanam’ (a revolutionary journey) to “defend the rights of Tamil soil and the dignity of women”, Ms. Sasikala, taking the front seat of her van displaying an AIADMK flag, left her T. Nagar residence in Chennai and stopped at many places in neighbouring Tiruvallur district to interact with her supporters. She also offered worship at the Murugan Temple at Tiruttani.
Speaking to reporters, Ms. Sasikala, who was formally sidelined by the AIADMK five years ago, said, “I have the responsibility to protect this movement [the AIADMK] and I have commenced this tour for it. As for me, party workers and people who are going to vote are with me. I will set it right. We will bring back the AIADMK government, which would be the government for the poor.”
Asked whether she was prepared to iron out differences with those who had once boycotted her, she said the issue was “among us”.
Speaking at K.G. Kandigai, she said, “This Kazhagam [the AIADMK], which has seen several adversities, is facing the biggest of them all in its 50th year. If all act in the interests of the party by staying united, we could overcome this adversity, too. This Kazhagam will become strong.”
She claimed, “The recent happenings suggest to me that the DMK workers’ wish [of seeing the AIADMK decimated] is coming true. I am patient only because we should not allow the DMK any room.”
Ms. Sasikala, once a key behind-the-screen figure in the AIADMK, was appointed the party’s interim general secretary after Jayalalithaa’s death. In February 2017, she was elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party. However, days after proposing her name as the legislature party leader, the then outgoing Chief Minister, Mr. Panneerselvam, had rebelled against her. She could not take over as Chief Minister following her conviction in a corruption case in which Jayalalithaa was the prime accused. Mr. Palaniswami went on to take over the reins of the government, while she appointed her nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran as the deputy general secretary of the AIADMK.
Within a few months, the factions led by Mr. Palaniswami and Mr, Panneerselvam merged and she was ousted from the party. Since her release from prison last year, Ms. Sasikala has been talking of taking over the AIADMK’s leadership from “traitors”, but without much success.
