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AIADMK united against Sasikala’s comeback attempt: Palaniswami
Chennai: The complications in AIADMK are deepening with three players- former chief ministers and party leader in state assembly, Edappadi Palaniswami, former deputy chief minister O Pannersevlam and ousted interim general secretary V K Sasikala, who is attempting to gnaw her way back --- play important roles in the drama, which is yet to unfold fully
Chennai: The complications in AIADMK are deepening with three players- former chief ministers and party leader in state assembly, Edappadi Palaniswami, former deputy chief minister O Pannersevlam and ousted interim general secretary V K Sasikala, who is attempting to gnaw her way back --- play important roles in the drama, which is yet to unfold fully.
Palaniswami on Friday said the AIADMK was “united” in not allowing any member of the Sasikala family back into the party days after audio clips of her speaking to partymen and assuring them that she would make a comeback leaked.
“She (Sasikala) is not with the AIADMK. She stated before the elections that she was quitting politics. She is not talking to any AIADMK leader or cadre. She is only talking to the AMMK cadre. But some people are trying to create confusion in the AIADMK by using Sasikala,” Palaniswami told reporters in Chennai at the party headquarters after meeting party leaders. Pannersevlam was not present at the meeting although he was in Chennai.
In response, Sasikala’s team shared with reporters more audio clips of her conversations with her supporters and attached their AIADMK membership cards. A telephonic conversation with S Anbu from Madurai and his AIADMK ID card was released.
Sasikala is heard speaking to Anbu about how party founder MG Ramachandran and his successor and her close aide J Jayalalithaa ran a cadre-based party. “Some people failed to understand that this is a cadre-based party,” said Sasikala. “Cadre like you have been writing to me about your pain. I can clearly see that all you cadres are on my side. Amma said the party has to govern for a 100-years. Shouldn’t I protect that vision? I did my best before I left the next day at 11am (to prison in Bengaluru). For me, the party has to be good, cadre have to be happy. We have to work together to take forward what Amma left behind. That’s my only intention. This will surely happen. Soon, I will meet you all,” Sasikala could be heard telling Anbu.
Anbu tells Sasikala that she believed Edappadi and he betrayed her to which Sasikala just smirked. Sasikala had picked Palaniswami to be chief minister after she was convicted in the disproportionate assets case and she too had to surrender in Bengaluru prison in February 2017. Palaniswami and Pannerselvam who were both Sasikala’s loyalists who turned against her at different times, united their warring factions and expelled her and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran who founded AMMK with her supporters.
Palaniswami, who is the co-coordinator of the AIADMK and was recently made leader of the opposition (LoP, held a Covid-19 consultation meeting in the city Friday with his party’s district secretaries. Pannerselvam was absent. To this, Palaniswami dismissed that there was any rift between them and said that Pannerselvam had a housewarming ceremony to attend. He added that it wasn’t a formal meeting but he came to the party headquarters as it was an auspicious day.
Palaniswami and Pannerselvam have been working independently so far from their native districts in Salem and Theni respectively. The duo always had tensions between them which came out in the open when Pannerselvam put up a fight twice and eventually gave in for Palaniswami to be the 2021 elections chief ministerial candidate and after their loss on May 2, to become the LoP.
For the elections, the dual leadership put up a united front to keep Sasikala’s family away. However, Pannerselvam’s stance has always been softer on Sasikala’s re-entry into the party. The cracks in the dual leadership emerged as Pannerselvam has been feeling sidelined and less powerful compared to Palaniswami who has solidified his position in the party. “Channels of communication are open between Pannerselvam and Sasikala,” said a senior AIADMK leader who is a Pannerselvam supporter. “You can expect some announcements from us soon.”
