Chennai: Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala arrived in the capital city of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday after serving a four-year jail term in a corruption case and also undergoing treatment for Covid-19. ALSO READ | Republic Day Violence: Actor-Activist Deep Sidhu Sent To 7-Day Police Custody By Delhi Court
The close associate of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa arrived at T Nagar around 7 am on Tuesday. Her nephew and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) leader TTV Dhinakaran, said that his efforts to “retrieve” AIADMK will continue and emphasised the aim was to ensure that DMK does not come to power in the state.
“We are strong (determined) that DMK should not come to power and will make all efforts in this direction,” he told reporters.
Asked whether AMMK and AIADMK would join hands to keep DMK out of power, Dhinakaran said, “as far as I am concerned, AMMK was started in March 2018 to retrieve AIADMK and give Amma’s rule”.
“I have been saying this ever since. Our aim is to retrieve the AIADMK and when that will happen is in people’s hands. I am confident that will happen,” he added.
Revealing that actor Rajinikanth enquired about Sasikala’s health on Monday, Dhinakaran also indicated that Sasikala might contest the upcoming elections.
Sasikala had been in Bengaluru’s Parapana Agrahara central prison since February 2017, serving the court sentence in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case. She was set free on January 27 but couldn’t return as she tested Covid-19 positive while under judicial custody and was admitted at the Government Victoria hospital.
Sasikala’s conviction in the Corruption case is a hindrance in the hopes to gain power in Tamil Nadu. When asked about the same, TTV Dhinakaran, “There is time. She may not be able to contest under the present conditions but there are options available in the law… can approach court successfully”.
He added he is a “positive thinker” and therefore he believes Sasikala could face the polls.
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Sasikala had filed a court case against her expulsion by AIADMK currently led by O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami. For this, he said she will continue with her “legal struggle.”
After Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, Sasikala became interim general secretary of the AIADMK and also its Legislature Party Leader later, this would have led to her becoming Tamil Nadu’s chief minister but the Supreme Court restored the lower court award of jail term in the corruption case.
There was a lot of drama as AIADMK was split into two fractions between those with Panneerselvam (now deputy chief minister), and those with Palaniswami as candidates for Chief Ministerial post. The power tussle settled when they merged the groups and the general council of the combined party expelled Sasikala in September 2017 along with Dhinakaran and others.
(With Agency Inputs)
