Late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's confidante VK Sasikala, who has had unsuccessful attempts over a considerable period of time to regain control of the AIADMK led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Sunday announced re-entry to the party, saying that that it cannot be thought that the party is decimated in view of its recent electoral drubbing.
VK Sasikala said her 'entry has begun,' and vowed to usher in rule of Jayalalithaa - fondly called 'Amma' - by winning the 2026 Assembly polls.
Sasikala also asserted that she would question the government as the 'opposition party' when Edappadi K Palaniswami did not ask the right questions, in his capacity as leader of opposition.
Addressing her supporters in Chennai, Sasikala said the time is ripe for entry again.
"This is the time I have been telling you, there is no need for any concern," news agency PTI quoted her as saying, apparently referring to her stand of 'unifying' the party for which she also had toured several regions of the state.
"For sure, people of Tamil Nadu are on our side.... I am very strong... it cannot be thought that the AIADMK is finished and it is because, my entry (re-entry) has commenced," Sasikala said.
Sasikala said she will soon begin her state-wide tour and pose questions and the DMK government has to provide answers.
AIADMK was founded by MGR (MG Ramachandran) and late matriarch 'Jayalalithaa'.
Sasikala said bringing such caste based politics into the party will not be tolerated by her and party workers. "Had she had any caste based considerations, she would not have made Edappadi K Palaniswami as Chief Minister in 2017. He was made the Chief Minister considering representation to the western region of the state, which had all along stood by the party from the days of MGR," Sasikala said.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his supporters were expelled by Edappadi Palaniswami, who later emerged as the single leader at the helm of the AIADMK.
Sasikala, her relatives including TTV Dhinakaran, who later founded the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, were among those who were eased out of the party years ago when Panneerselvam and Palaniswami remained together.
