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Expelled AIADMK Chief VK Sasikala Quits Politics Ahead Of Tamil Nadu Polls


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"I have never been after power or position even when Jaya (J Jayalalithaa) was alive. Won't do that after she is dead," VK Sasikala wrote in her letter

Expelled AIADMK Chief VK Sasikala Quits Politics Ahead Of Tamil Nadu Polls

Chennai: 

VK Sasikala, the expelled former chief of Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK - who was released from a Bengaluru jail in January and was widely expected to challenge for control of the party and the Chief Minister's post in next month's election - has quit politics and public life.

In her letter Ms Sasikala - a confidante of the late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa - wrote: "I have never been after power or position even when Jaya was alive. Won't do that after she is dead. I am staying away from politics to ensure AIADMK's 'golden government' in Tamil Nadu."

"I will pray to god and my sister (Jayalalithaa) for AIADMK's victory (and) urge supporters of AIADMK to work together and defeat the DMK (the primary opposition). I urge the party cadre to work to keep her legacy going," she added.

Ms Sasikala also thanked the BJP, which is allied with the AIADMK, for "working to unite the AIADMK to ensure votes don't split like the 2019 election".

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls the BJP-AIADMK alliance was demolished; the BJP was shut out and the AIADMK got just one seat. The opposition DMK-Congress alliance won the remaining 38 seats.

Hours before Ms Sasikala's letter was released, the BJP, which said it was a part of the "AIADMK-led alliance" would decide on accommodating her. The state party had, till then, ruled that out.

Early last month Ms Sasikala, 66, fresh from jail and having recovered from a coronavirus infection, took the first step towards reclaiming her once-dominant position. She filed a plea in a Chennai court against Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

The case was to have been heard on March 15.

Ms Sasikala had stepped in as party chief after Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, and was set to take her post when she was handed a four-year jail term for corruption.

Before she left for jail she handpicked Mr Palaniswami, or EPS, who was then a rival of Mr Panneerselvam, or OPS, who had rebelled against Ms Sasikala's claim, to take over. However, in her absence, the two patched up and had her removed from the post and the party.

Her return once again stirred turmoil in a party that has never quite recovered from the leadership vacuum left by the death of the charismatic and powerful Jayalalithaa.

In January EPS, after a meeting with the BJP leadership, declared VK Sasikala would not be taken back into the party.

Since her return though, he was noticeably silent and, instead, targeted her nephew TTV Dhinakaran instead. His stance revived speculation that he could make up with Sasikala, known as "chinnamma (aunt)" by AIADMK cadre who referred to Jayalalithaa as "amma (mother)".

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VK Sasikala quits politics

Sasikala urged the AIADMK cadre to stay united and defeat the DMK in the Assembly Elections.

sasikala wears a mask in car

VK Sasikala, aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, on Wednesday announced that she is quitting politics. She, however, urged the AIADMK cadre to stay united and defeat the DMK in the upcoming elections. Her statement on Wednesday comes with over a month to go for the Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu, and comes weeks after her release from prison. 

 

 

In a statement on Wednesday, Sasikala said, “I never wanted a post or power. I am always thankful for the people of Tamil Nadu. I am quitting politics and I pray to my sister (late CM Jayalalithaa) and god for establishing a good governance.” “The true followers of Amma should strive to fight against the ‘evil’ DMK and aim to establish the government of Amma,” she said.

Addressing media persons, AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran said,"Sasikala always wanted to quit politics. You can ask me why she then said that she will be involved in active politics. She said so because she expected AIADMK members to stay united at least after that." 

"Hence, she said only if she quits politics, AIADMK will stay united and hence she came to this decision. She has quit so she doesn't want to even claim AIADMK. She quit because no one in AIADMK was united and she didn't want to be the talk of the party," he said. 

 

 

Sasikala was officially released from the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru on January 27. On February 8, she took part in a massive roadshow to showcase the support she still commanded, as she travelled from Bengaluru to Chennai. During the journey, while speaking to supporters she had said that she would take a plunge into serious politics. A week after her return she even met supporters and political leaders at her residence in TNagar and urged to always fight for the ideals that former CM Jayalalithaa had fought for. She had also moved court challenging the AIADMK's decision to remove her as party General Secretary. 

However, although Sasikala is barred from contesting elections for a period of six years, her return to politics in Tamil Nadu was expected to make an impact ahead of the Assembly polls. Her decision to quit politics also comes days after reports that the BJP was attempting to accomodate the AMMK - Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran's party - into the AIADMK alliance. However, the AIADMK had refused with Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami refusing to allow Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran into the alliance. 

Last seen in public on February 24 - the birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa - Sasikala had said, "Supporters of Jayalalithaa should come together and our aim should be what Jayalalithaa had told us- AIADMK should rule the state for 100 years. We should keep that always in our hearts. All AIADMK cadres should ensure the party wins and we should form the government. I believe we will do it, because you are the true supporters of Jayalalithaa. You all will make it possible. Soon I'll meet the public and cadres." 

 

While the AIADMK maintained that neither Sasikala or her nephew TTV Dhinakaran were welcome back to the party Dhinakaran said he was ready for an alliance if he was the one leading it.

 

 

In the days leading up to her release from the prison, speculations were rife that the former aide of Jayalalithaa will join AIADMK. However, the party dismissed her as a spent force. AIADMK even warned its party leader and cadres from meeting her or welcoming her when she returned to Chennai. It even warned Sasikala from using the party flag. However, Sasikala arrived in Chennai in a vehicle that had the party flag hoisted on it. 

Sources had earlier told TNM that Sasikala would have stood a chance to make a political comeback if the AIADMK, under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, lost the Assembly elections.

Following Jayalalithaa's demise in December 2016, Sasikala was elected as General Secretary of the AIADMK a few weeks later. However, following her conviction in the disproportionate assets case in February 2017, she had handed over the reins of the party to her nephew TTV Dhinkaran, who was made Deputy General Secretary of AIADMK, while she backed Edappadi Palaniswami as Chief Minister. However, months later, the faction led by Edappadi Palaniswami and the faction led by O Panneerselvam, who had rebelled against Sasikala, merged. The merged factions then removed Sasikala and Dhinakaran from their posts in September 2017. It was a pre-condition of O Panneerselvam's faction.  

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2 minutes ago, Kool_SRG said:

As expected AMMK & AIADMK heading towards merger...

  

On 1/30/2021 at 11:46 PM, Kool_SRG said:

Rajni saab jump ippudu Sasikala group+ AIADMK mellaga heading for merger paarthinde irruda dai...

 

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10 minutes ago, csrcsr said:

em ayindi sudden ga malli lopala esta anara bro ?

Seperate ga unte AIADMK supporting votes split avuthaayi anthuke ippudu external pressure valla ila to see not lose votes by split with in...

More over AMMK super sound batch aah dabbu ikkada use chesthaaru ippudu...

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3 minutes ago, Kool_SRG said:

Seperate ga unte AIADMK supporting votes split avuthaayi anthuke ippudu external pressure valla ila to see not lose votes by split with in...

More over AMMK super sound batch aah dabbu ikkada use chesthaaru ippudu...

Akkada clearly mentioned kadha RS istha nee properties vadhileystham oka moolana kurcho mannaru so agreed ani indirect ga chepparu ga article lo 

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1 hour ago, tom bhayya said:

Akkada clearly mentioned kadha RS istha nee properties vadhileystham oka moolana kurcho mannaru so agreed ani indirect ga chepparu ga article lo 

aah RS ekkada isthaaru le...

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Just now, tom bhayya said:

After 6 yrs isthaaru 

leda BJP TN power lo vachaka istam antaru :giggle:    which might not happen even with coalation

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10 minutes ago, Spartan said:

leda BJP TN power lo vachaka istam antaru :giggle:    which might not happen even with coalation

She cannot contest in elections for 6 yrs anukunta so better to take rest and regroup once Aiadmk and or bjp is out of power 

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4 minutes ago, tom bhayya said:

She cannot contest in elections for 6 yrs anukunta so better to take rest and regroup once Aiadmk and or bjp is out of power 

 

17 minutes ago, tom bhayya said:

After 6 yrs isthaaru 

she knows scope of AIADMK winning is pretty less so lite teesukoni untaadhi...

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