'Make AIADMK great again' tells Sasikala to cadres as Party fumes over 'Gen Secy' plaque

Setting the stage for her political comeback, expelled AIADMK leader V.K Sasikala on Sunday, addressed her supporters, urging them to 'Make AIADMK great again'. Addressing supporters at MGR house, Ramapuram, she said that the party was made with cadres, otherwise it will be sidelined. Stating that all should come together to make AIADMK a success, she added that she stayed away from party during elections to ensure EPS-OPS victory. AIADMK had expelled Sasikala after she was convicted in a disproportionate assets case in 2016.

Sasikala: 'Make AIADMK great again'

"You all know why I was away from elections. I'm stating now that it is the cadres that make AIADMK. We need to understand that if not for the people and the cadres, we will be sidelined. I am elated that I was able to go to these places as per planned. We should together work and bring the cadres together to succeed. We should come together and make the party great again," said Sasikala. Refuting her re-entry into AIADMK, party leader D Jayakumar said that Sasikala had only furthered her own family's interests.

Sasikala prepares for political comeback

On Sunday, late CM J Jayalalitha's aide V.K Sasikala (Chinamma) challenged the EPS-OPS duo by unveiling a commemorative plaque at found MGR's house at T Nagar on the party's 50th foundation day in which she is referred to as 'General Secretary'. Sasikala had visited Jayalalitha's memorial on Saturday, where she was thronged by thousands of supporters. Paying a tearful tribute to Jayalalitha at the Marina Beach memorial, she said, "Amma and Thalaivar (MGR) are people who lived for the people of Tamil Nadu and the party cadres. I believe that they will save the party".

In March, a month after she was released from prison, Sasikala quit politics urging the AIADMK cadre to unite ahead of the polls and fight the DMK to 'continue Amma's AIADMK rule in Tamil Nadu for 100 years. Later, after DMK managed to trump AIADMK, denying it a 3rd consecutive term, Sasikala's multiple leaked audios with cadres begging her to return shook the EPS-OPS duo. After expelling over 50 cadres for being in touch with Sasikala, AIADMK has warned cadres of similar action if found in contact with her.

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. Sasikala was released from Bengaluru prison on January 27, after completing her 4-year jail stint and she returned to Chennai.