Published 12:30 IST, February 24th 2021
Sasikala tells Jayalalithaa supporters to unite & help AIADMK win; doesn't mention EPS-OPS
Sasikala appealed to 'all AIADMK cadre' to ensure that the party wins the upcoming polls and forms the government as she paid tribute to the late AIADMK chief
Former Jayalalithaa aide VK Sasikala appealed to 'all AIADMK cadre' to ensure that the party wins the upcoming polls and forms the government as she paid tribute to the late AIADMK chief on her birth anniversary on Tuesday. VK Sasikala, along with her nephew & AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, paid floral tribute to Jayalalithaa at the former's residence in Chennai on Wednesday. Addressing the cadre present at Sasikala's residence, the former Jaya aide urged Jayalalithaa supporters to unite to fulfill the former AIADMK chief's goal of the party ruling the state for over 100 years.
VK Sasikala appealed to the AIADMK cadre to work together to ensure the party forms the government in the polls and claimed that she believed so as they were the true supporters of Jayalalithaa. The former Jaya aide also revealed that she would meet her cadre and hold interactions with the public in the near future. Further, Sasikala remarked that the common enemy for AIADMK and Jayalalithaa supporters was the DMK and called for the cadre to unite to defeat Stalin's party. Meanwhile, Sasikala's nephew TTV Dinakaran smiled when asked if AIADMK was not AMMK's enemy as he too appealed to the workers to unite to defeat DMK. The AMMK leader also ruled out Sasikala's visit to Jayalalithaa's memorial at Marina beach in Chennai.
It is pertinent to point out that Sasikala was expelled from the party soon after her conviction in the disproportionate assets case following which her return to the party-fold has also been ruled out on numerous occasions. The suspension of AIADMK functionaries from the party for welcoming back Sasikala from prison indicates the ruling government's no-compromise attitude towards the former Jaya aide. Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran has categorically stated that his aunt has all the rights to use the AIADMK 'two leaves' symbol and that they will sort the matter out in Court while the ruling AIADMK has raised the use of its party symbol by the former Jaya aide with the election Commission.
PM Modi pays tribute to Jayalalithaa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa on her birth anniversary on Wednesday and revealed that he cherished multiple interactions with the late leader. PM Modi noted that the late AIADMK chief was known for her policies favouring the people and for her efforts to eradicate poverty. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi hailed Jayalalithaa's efforts towards women empowerment as he paid tribute.
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, Dy CM O Pannerselvam and other ministers paid homage to Jayalalithaa at her memorial at Marina beach on Wednesday. The ministers also garlanded Jayalalithaa's statue outside the party headquarters in Chennai. CM EPS will further participate in a massive tree plantation inauguration, awarding a girl child and rewarding District Collectors as a part of programmes organised on Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021
The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. With AIADMK announcing it will continue its national alliance with BJP, the saffron party is yet to officially announce its state-level alliance. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats.
Updated 12:30 IST, February 24th 2021