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Panneerselvam, AIADMK differ on Sasikala’s reinduction
Last Thursday, Jayakumar filed a police complaint against Sasikala on behalf of the AIADMK for unveiling a plaque at party founder MG Ramachandran’s (MGR) memorial on October 17 that referred to her as the AIADMK general secretary
Indicating a new round of fissures within the AIADMK, the party’s coordinator and former deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam on Monday said that expelled leader V K Sasikala’s reinduction will be discussed by their leadership, a statement which was refuted by the party later in the day.
“Like I’ve said before in an interview, whether to take her (Sasikala) in, the office bearers of the party leadership will discuss and make a decision,” Panneerselvam told reporters in Madurai district. “Anyone can come into politics, and it is up to the people to accept them.”
However, the party’s organisation secretary, D Jayakumar was quick to deny any such intentions. “We have already passed a resolution that Sasikala will not be taken back. We also made it clear that no one should have any links and contact with her, and if they do, we will take disciplinary action,” Jayakumar said. “Everyone has signed this resolution,” he added.
Pannerselvam’s move comes at a time when Sasikala has renewed her fight to reclaim the AIADMK, following their loss in the rural local body elections in nine Tamil Nadu districts earlier this month. Sasikala had stepped away from politics briefly.
After Sasikala’s release from prison, former chief minister Edappadi Palanswami had completely stonewalled her, but this isn’t the first time that Panneerselvam has softened his stance towards her . Before the assembly elections on April 6, Panneerselvam in an interview had said that the party would examine Sasikala’s reinduction into the party if she accepts the status quo of dual leadership. Panneerselvam and Sasikala also belong to the same Mukkalathor community, whose growth has diminished within the AIADMK given the dominance of Palaniswami’s Goudner community.
Last Thursday, Jayakumar filed a police complaint against Sasikala on behalf of the AIADMK for unveiling a plaque at party founder MG Ramachandran’s (MGR) memorial on October 17 that referred to her as the AIADMK general secretary. Sasikala’s surprise move on a day the AIADMK was celebrating its golden jubilee year was seen as her renewed attempt to signal her supporters that she was still in the game to reclaim the party. The party’s official Twitter handle also released a statement signed by deputy coordinator K P Munusamy on the resolution against Sasikala. “There is no room for talk of reinstating Sasikala in the AIADMK under any circumstances,” said Munusamy.
Panneerselvam on Monday morning added that the AIADMK is functioning as a cadre-based party as envisioned by founder MGR and is presently led as a dual leadership with him and Palaniswami and joint coordinators. Following J Jayalalithaa’s death in office in December 2016, her close aide Sasikala briefly held the reins of the party. However, she was imprisoned in February 2017 for four years in the disproportionate assets case.
By then, Panneerselvam, who had officiated through Jayalalithaa’s illness, launched an offensive against Sasikala, which led to Palaniswami being picked as the chief minister in 2017. While she was in prison, Pannerselvam and Palaniswami merged their factions and ousted Sasikala from the post of interim general secretary and made Jayalalithaa the party’s permanent general secretary. During the party’s regime between 2017 and 2021, Palaniswami was the chief minister while Panneerselvam was the deputy chief minister. After their loss in the assembly election in May, the duo has continued as leader of opposition and deputy leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly.
Political observers see this as Panneerselvam’s way of asserting himself. “Neither Panneerselvam nor Palaniswami will give up their authority in the AIADMK, and Sasikala will not be taken back,” said political analyst Raveendran Duraisamy. “Panneerselvam is making such statements to assert himself within the dual leadership. He wants to show that though the party has taken a stance, he has his views too. And in future, he could always utilise Sasikala for his political growth.”
