VK Sasikala, former general secretary of the AIADMK and aide to late J Jayalalithaa was released from the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bangalore on Wednesday morning, it was officially announced by the Government of Karnataka and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran.
Hectic parleys are underway in Chennai where Chief Minister Edappady Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam are chalking out strategies to counter the moves from Sasikala camp. EPS had meade it clear during his trip to the national capital that Sasikala has no place in the AIADMK.
“There are possibilities of former ministers and MPs joining Sasikala in days to come. Anwar Raja, the former Ramanathapuram MO and Gokula Indira, former Tamil Nadu minister are likely to cast their lots with Sasikala,” said G Satyamurthy, veteran scribe and long time specialist in AIADMK matters.
But Sasikala is undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at the Victoria Hospital in Bangalore where she was admitted on January 20.
A medical bulletin issued by the hospital on Wednesday said though she has been tested negative for the pandemic, as per medical protocol, she would be discharged on tenth day (January 30) if she is asymptomatic and free of oxygen support for at least three days.
“The decision for her to continue treatment in Victoria Hospital has been taken by her and her family members,” said the bulletin signed by medical superintendent and director cum dean of the hospital.
A team of astrologers are working to find out the auspicious day for Chinnamma (as she is addressed by party cadre) to return to Chennai. It was on February 15, 2017 she left for Bangalore to serve the four-year rigorous imprisonment term slapped on her by the Special Court Judge in connection with the disproportionate asset case.
Her nephew Sudhakaran, cousin Ilavarasi and former chief minister Jayalalithaa were the co-accused in the case. Since Jayalalithaa bfreated her last on December 5, 2016, the supreme Court which upheld the trial court verdict had released her from the case.
Since her departure to Bangalore, the AIADMK of which she was the general secretary went a total transformation as the Edappadi Palaniswamy and O Panneerselvan duo took control of the party and eased out the Mannargudi Mafia (as Sasikala and her relatives were known) from the AIADMK.
Dhinakaran launched the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhakam (AMMK) in 2017 reportedly with the blessings of Sasikala. The split in the AIADMK had its repercussion in the 2019 Lok Sabha election as the DMK-led alliance swept the polls by wresting 38 out of the 39 constituencies in the State.
While the DMK-led front polled 52.3 per cent votes, the AIADMK and its allies had to cintent with just 31.26 per cent votes. The general feeling is that had the AIADMK faced the polls unitedly, the result would have been different.
Sasikala was removed from the post of the general secretary of the part in a general council meeting convened by EPS-OPS duo in August 2017. But the AIADMK constitution says that the general secretary is the only authority who could convene the meeting and the matter is in front of Madras High Court.