Even as political pundits are discussing the fate of the divided AIADMK, VK Sasikala, general secretary of the party, returned to the high-security Parappana Agrahara prison on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Wednesday evening where clashes erupted between AIADMK workers and the police.
Sasikala turned up before the Special Court Judge Ashwathnarayana after the Supreme Court refused to entertain her plea on Wednesday morning seeking more time to surrender to undergo a four-year jail term in the DA case.
“We do not intend to pass any order on this. We are not going to change anything in the judgment,” a Bench headed by Justice PC Ghose said.
left with no option, Sasikala gave herself up along with her relatives Elavarasi and VN Sudhakaran after reaching Bengaluru from Chennai by road.
As the long-time confidante of the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa reached the prison complex, her convoy was attacked by AIADMK workers who were allegedly blaming Sasikala for the death of Amma who was lodged in the same prison in 2014.
As shocked people gathered there looked on, four vehicles were damaged in the clashes between Amma’s supporters and police personnel who tried to prevent the attack.
Earlier in the day, theatrics dominated TN politics as Sasikala set out for Bengaluru to surrender before the Special Court.
At 11.15 am Chinnamma started her journey from Veda Nilayam in the silver coloured Toyota Prado SUV, owned by Jayalalithaa and a fleet of SUVs. Before leaving for Bengaluru, the first port of call for Sasikala was the tomb at Marina Beach where Jayalalithaa has been interred.
Chinnamma offered floral tributes and was seen slamming the granite tomb and cursing at someone. She slammed the tomb with an angry face while her followers were seen encouraging her. Gokula Indira, former Minister, who was standing behind Sasikala, denied reports that Sasikala lambasted Jayalalithaa at the venue. “She was making a vow,” said Indira.
She also visited the residence of late MGR and sat in meditation for some time.
What stood out during her journey from Poes Garden to Bengaluru was the absence of any party workers along the road to bid her goodbye.
This was in stark contrast to what Chennai saw in October 2014 when Jayalalithaa returned to the city after spending a fortnight in Bangalore Prison following her sentencing in the Disproportionate Assets case, when thousands of people had crowded the road from Chennai airport to Poes Garden in spite of a heavy downpour to greet their leader.
Sasikala, who created political turmoil in TN after the death of Jayalalithaa, drove straight to the court housed in the central jail at Parappana Agrahara, 28 km from Hosur on the Karnataka-TN border.
The court hall in Bengaluru where she surrendered was shifted from the heart of the city to the central jail owing to security reasons.
Sasikala was imprisoned after completion of court formalities and medical check-up after the judge also turned down her plea for two more weeks for surrender and for home food.
TV footage showed a calm Sasikala walking surrounded by lawyers and security officials after getting down from the SUV.
Many feel that with Sasikala’s imprisonment TN politics has now shifted to Karnataka. According to sources, Sasikala’s lawyers were working on legal remedies to shift her to a TN jail instead of Bengaluru. Even though she has inducted all her relatives into the party it will be difficult to take further control of MlAs loyal to her.
“Only I can be jailed, not the care or concern I have for this party. Wherever I will be, my thoughts will be here,” Sasikala had told both her MlAs at Koovathur resort as well as her supporters at Poes Garden late on Tuesday night.