Sasikala's nephew rules out BJP tie-up for TN polls; confident of regaining AIADMK control

On Friday, expelled AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran exuded confidence in AMMK playing a key role in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. After the AIADMK factions led by CM Edapaddi Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam merged in August 2017 and paved way for the removal of Sasikala from the party, Dhinakaran formed the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam. Speaking to the media, the AMMK general secretary predicted that they would regain control of AIADMK after the election results.

Taking a dig at Palaniswami, Dhinakaran indicated that they would welcome Panneerselvam if he plans to join their camp. Clearing the air over Sasikala's absence in the public, he revealed that doctors had advised her to take further rest. While mentioning she will be paying tribute to late ex-CM J Jayalalithaa on her birth anniversary at her residence itself, he assured that the former AIADMK leader shall meet people personally as soon as possible. On this occasion, Dhinakaran also clarified that neither AMMK nor BJP had approached each other for an alliance in the Assembly election due in April-May this year.

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Sasikala gets rousing welcome on return to TN

On January 27, Sasikala was formally released from prison after serving a 4-year jail term in the Rs.66 crore disproportionate assets case. However, she was discharged from the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru only on January 31 as she was undergoing treatment for COVID-19. On Monday, the former AIADMK leader left a resort on Bengaluru outskirts where she completed her home quarantine after paying floral tributes to a portrait of Jayalalithaa. 

As her convoy crossed Tamil Nadu at Athipalli in Krishnagiri district, 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. Moreover, multiple banners, flex boards, posters and hoardings welcoming Sasikala were put up in the Krishnagiri district. Speaking to the media thereafter, the ousted AIADMK general secretary announced that she would enter full-fledged politics soon. 

Resolving that she will never bow down to oppression, Sasikala stated that she was indebted to the people of Tamil Nadu. According to her, the complaints filed by TN Ministers against her for using the AIADMK flag on her car showed that "they are in jitters". Speaking on the closure of Jayalithaa's memorial in Chennai, she said, "The people of Tamil Nadu know very well what all this means".  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.

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