As per reports, Sasikala is set to pay floral tributes at the memorial of AIADMK leaders Jayalalithaa and M G Ramachandran, both former presidents of the party.
Expelled AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala is likely to visit the memorial of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa in Chennai Saturday, a day ahead of the golden jubilee celebration of the founding of the AIADMK party. This will be Sasikala’s first visit to the memorial since she was released from the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru after serving a four-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case.
As per reports, Sasikala is set to pay floral tributes at the memorial of AIADMK leaders Jayalalithaa and M G Ramachandran, both former presidents of the party.
The visit comes days after AIADMK was defeated in the rural local body poll elections. The ruling DMK swept the polls held in the nine reconstituted districts, including Kanchipuram, relegating the AIADMK to a distant second position. Of the total 153 district panchayat wards, the DMK and AIADMK bagged 139 and two seats, respectively. Of the 1,421 panchayat union wards, the DMK and AIADMK won 977 and 212 seats, respectively.
In several leaked audiotapes of a purported conversation between Sasikala and certain party members over the last couple of months, the former AIADMK leader was heard saying she has the responsibility to save the party and re-establish the rule of ‘Amma’ (Jayalalithaa).
Ahead of her visit, Sasikala was quoted as saying by ‘Namadhu MGR daily, “One who dearly loves Puratchi Thalaivar MGR, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma will not leave the party. I saw the anguish of the party cadres, I cannot remain silent anymore. After the demise of MGR, we stood with Amma and rescued the party. What happened after MGR’s demise has happened once again, and hence, I have to come back to the party and guide everyone in the right direction. My only wish and desire is to bring back Amma’s government. We must strive hard towards it.”
When Sasikala returned to Chennai after leaving prison in February this year, there was speculation as to whether she would head straight to the memorial of Jayalalithaa. However, at the time, the public works department had barred public entry citing pending construction work. This was largely seen as a stunt by the previous AIADMK government to prevent Sasikala from entering the memorial.
After her release, which came months before the Tamil Nadu elections, Sasikala had announced she would step away from active politics. In a two-page statement, she said she was never keen on occupying any posts or power, and asked the cadres to stay united and work hard to stop the common enemy and evil force DMK from coming to power, and ensure the golden rule of Amma is implemented in the state.
Meanwhile, brushing aside the defeat of its party in the rural civic polls, the main opposition AIADMK on Friday vowed to continue its work towards capturing power again, asserting that this is the party’s message for the year long (2021-22) golden jubilee celebrations. Outlining the initiatives to commemorate the jubilee through the year, AIADMK top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami said that their party is for all sections of the people, which held the reins of power for over 30 years in Tamil Nadu.
Among the several announcements made by them to celebrate the golden jubilee year were a big ticket party conference, honouring veteran party workers with gold plated commemorative medals and cash gifts, and institution of awards named after party icons, M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. The AIADMK headquarters on Avvai Shanmugam Salai in Chennai would be christened ‘Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Maligai (Revolutionary leader MGR Castle)’, the leaders said.
The party would release a commemorative, golden jubilee logo and a brochure listing the milestones in the party’s 50-year history would be distributed.
Wall posters and banners would be put up across the state featuring the images of reformist leader ‘Periyar’ E V Ramasamy, Dravidian icon C N Annadurai, party founder MGR and late party supremo Jayalalithaa to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the party’s founding. Writers, orators, poets and those in the field of performing arts working for the AIADMK’s growth would be honoured with awards named after Periyar, Anna, MGR and ‘Amma,’ the party’s top two leaders said. Authors who have written on party leaders MGR and Amma would be felicitated.
On Sunday, AIADMK leader O Pannerselvam and K Palaniswami are also expected to visit the memorials of J Jayalalitha and MG Ramachandran.
— With inputs from PTI
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