Tamil Nadu's ruling alliance uneasy ahead of VK Sasikala's return
The AIADMK has established that they will not take Sasikala back. The leadership issued an unofficial gag order to its party members not to speak of her.
Days ahead of the release of VK Sasikala from a Bengaluru hospital after a four-year jail sentence, comments emerged from those linked to the AIADMK and its partner, indicating a sense of uneasiness in the ruling alliance over her turn to the southern state.
Sasikala is likely to be back in the first week of February, according to her family, after she is discharged from Bengaluru's Victoria Hospital where is being treated for Covid-19.
After the ruling AIADMK established that they will not take her back, the leadership issued an unofficial gag order to its party members not to speak of Sasikala. The party also expelled a functionary from Tirunelveli for putting up a poster welcoming Sasikala on the day of her release from Bengaluru prison. But in the past few days, voices outside but linked to the AIADMK have not played by their rulebook.
AIADMK's coordinator O Paneerselvam's son, VP Jayapradeep tweeted a note wishing Sasikala a speedy recovery adding a caveat that his expression is humane and not political. Though Paneerselvam resigned as chief minister to make way for Sasikala and she, in turn, handpicked Palanswami to be chief minister while she served her jail term - they both rebelled against each other and against Sasikala at different stages. After several negotiations, Palaniswami and Paneerselvam merged their factions and expelled Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran from AIADMK in September 2017.
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AIADMK's ally the DMDK’s party treasurer Premalatha Vijayakanth said she welcomes Sasikala's entry into active politics. “As a woman, she has my support,” said Premalatha, who has been the face of the party since her husband and actor-turned-party founder Vijayakanth’s has been ailing. Premalatha has asked the AIADMK to allot 41 seats to them as they did in 2011 when the DMDK was at its peak but has since fallen with no elected member currently.
Another actor-turned-politician S Karunas, an MLA elected on the AIADMK symbol, said that Sasikala made Palaniswami chief minister by thwarting Prime Minister Narendra’s Modi interests after supremo Jayalalithaa's death and those speaking against her should have a conscience. Karunas said that he will support the AIADMK government as Jayalalithaa and Sasiaka supported his political-caste outfit, Mukkulathor Pulipadai.
A section of the AIADMK doesn’t want to rock the status quo of the dual leadership of Palaniswami-Paneeerselvam. Sasikala’s supporters within the party differ. “Any party will have dissidents and even if some unhappy members join her, it will not impact us,” said a senior AIADMK leader. A few days ago, Palaniswami announced after meeting PM Modi in Delhi that Sasikala ceased to be an AIADMK member and she won’t be reinducted.
The ruling party’s ally, the BJP has not publicly commented on Sasikala’s release. At least three senior leaders have said that her induction into the party is the AIADMK’s decision. “We are not calling any shots as perceived,” said a BJP leader in the state, not willing to be named. “We are only looking to strengthen our party and defeat the DMK. For that goal, we have no objection to whoever wants to join our alliance.”
“Paneerselvam has silently accepted what Palaniswami has openly said,” says political commentator Ravindran Duraisamy. “They will not allow her into the party because they will be sidelined and it will be detrimental to their leadership. When Congress’ K Kamaraj contested, 30 per cent MLAs supported C Subramaniam. When Modi became chief minister, Keshubai Patel and others were against him. But when Sasikala became the AIADMK chief, almost all legislators supported her. She and Dhinakaran will have to take an anti-Modi stance for the benefit of their political interest.” On Paneerselvam’s son’s support, he says, “it is the Mukkulathor community sympathising with her.”
Dhinakaran’s party, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), floated with Sasikala’s supporters celebrated in Bengaluru and across Tamil Nadu when she was released and are planning an elaborate welcome for her. AMMK cadres want her to regain control of the AIADMK and unite their factions. There is no clarity on Sasikala's political intentions as yet.
