VK Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dinakaran have been performing maneuvers since their return from jail ahead of the state elections last year; Some direct, some subtle, and many explicitly to usurp the reins of AIADMK’s power.
In recent months, Sasikala has released audio of phone conversations with disgruntled party men, asking her to return to power. Apart from grabbing headlines for a day or two, he did nothing to impress the rank and file.
Time and again, she addressed the party people directly through statements, encouraging them to unite and “find a leader” who would lead the party during the time of party founder MG Ramachandran and his disciple J Jayalalithaa. Will return to its former glory, who had had a fierce rivalry with the DMK over five decades.
Against the backdrop of these repeated failures, there is a new twist in the story.
Last week, party workers from Theni – from where party coordinator O Panneerselvam is and AIADMK bastion – passed a resolution to work to bring Sasikala back to power. Following this sudden development, general statements were issued: Panneerselvam said he had nothing to do with it, Palaniswami and his faction tussle, and silent talks between the two factions between Palaniswami and Panneerselvam with former ministers. Started with working as a mediator.
Since Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, the AIADMK has been in a constant state of internal turmoil, with both caretaker leaders Panneerselvam and Palaniswami barely keeping it together. But this time, Sasikala’s proposal for sitting AIADMK leaders (EPS and OPS) comes at a time when the party has been wiped out first in the assembly elections and now in the urban local body polls.
Even the BJP, which won four MLA seats by riding the coat-tails of the AIADMK, decided to quit the party. Like many other important districts, Chennai was a washout.
Not only the electoral defeat, the morale of the party is at an all-time low. Former minister D Jayakumar has been in jail on several counts (land-grabbing, making a man walk naked on polling day, and another case), and the AIADMK held some protests over it, and went ahead.
Palaniswami embroiled in the Kodanad murder-theft case – the DMK government has decided to expand the probe and witnesses and accused are making disturbing statements about Palaniswami’s involvement.
Raids have been conducted on former AIADMK ministers SP Velumani, P Thangamani, C Vijayabaskar, KC Veeramani, KP Anbalagan and MR Vijayabaskar. DVAC has found incriminating evidence in some cases. Clearly, due process of law in all these cases poses trouble for AIADMK’s firepower in future.
It is in this troubled political and administrative situation that the AIADMK faces VK Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, both of whom claim to be the rightful heirs to Jayalalithaa’s political assets (her financial wealth went to her elder brother’s children). .
Sasikala is not Jayalalithaa, as she has spent all her life as a backroom operator, showing no cunning to win hearts through speeches or fight back like Jayalalithaa in state assembly debates. But then Stalin, by his own admission, is no Kalaignar, and he rules. Will the AIADMK decision-makers – Panneerselvam and Palaniswami – keep all these things in mind as they contemplate how to pull the party out of the abyss it has sunk?
read all breaking news, today’s fresh news And Assembly Election Live Updates Here.