AIADMK expels 7 leaders for providing cars to Sasikala's convoy to travel to Chennai

As Sasikala vows to 'enter full-fledged politics soon', the AIADMK expels 7 members for allegedly providing cars to the expelled leader as she travels from Bengaluru to Chennai. The expelled members - D Dakshinamoorthy, SR Sambangi, P Chandrashekara Reddy, Janaki Ravindra Reddy, R Prasanthkumar, AV Nagaraj and V Anand have been thrown out for acting against party orders and bringing disrepute to AIADMK, states the party circular without mentioning Sasikala. The former AIADMK General Secretary returns to Chennai after completing her 4-year jail stint in a disproportionate assets case and a week of quarantining after contracting COVID-19.

Sasikala to enter full-fledged politics soon; vows 'won't surrender to oppression'

7 AIADMK leaders expelled

Previously, AIADMK had expelled its Karnataka state secretary for the above-mentioned reasons after he met with Sasikala. It also expelled three other leaders for putting up posters of the expelled leader proclaiming 'Welcome Chinnamma'. Earlier in the day, state fisheries minister D Jayakumar said '100% we won't form an alliance with Sasikala and TTV's party'. Terming Sasikala and TTV Dinakaran as the B-team of DMK, he alleged that Sasikala and Stalin are under 'some agreement'. DMK has laughed off the charge.

'Welcome Chinnamma' posters put up at Chennai's T Nagar ahead of Sasikala's return

Sasikala gets rousing welcome

Sasikala, who travelled to Chennai's T Nagar from Bengaluru received a rousing welcome at Athipalli in Krishnagiri district where she was greeted by a large gathering of people who waved AMMK and AIADMK flags. Throughout the journey from Karnataka, her supporters broke into celebrations and showered flower petals on her convoy. Addressing her supporters, she announced that she would enter full-fledged politics soon.

Speaking on the closure of Jayalithaa's memorial in Chennai, she said, "The people of Tamil Nadu know very well what all this means". Maintaining that the party workers are eagerly awaiting her, she said that she was indebted to the people of Tamil Nadu. While refusing to categorically answer whether she would regain control of AIADMK or visit the party headquarters, she expressed hope that everyone would work together to defeat the "common enemy"- presumably a reference to DMK.

DMK claims 'AIADMK following Delhi's instructions' after it says no alliance with Sasikala

The AIADMK factions - split & merger

In 2016, after the demise of then-CM J Jayalalitha, her close aide Sasikala had taken over as general secretary but was later convicted and arrested in the disproportionate assets case. O Pannerselvam (OPS) - the then-deputy CM, quit as caretaker CM to make way for Sasikala. With his exit, EPS, who was chosen by Sasikala, was made the CM, which led to the party being split in the middle - EPS camp and OPS camp. Amid the impasse, the BJP had intervened to allow EPS to continue as CM and made OPS the party's Convenor, Deputy CM, naming the late Jayalalitha as the party's 'eternal' General Secretary. The convicted Sasikala was then thrown out of the party.  EPS eyes re-election in the upcoming state polls in April-May.

AIADMK lashes out at Sasikala on arrival; rules out alliance, terms her 'DMK's B-team'