AIADMK goes to police against non-members using its flag, Sasikala's return to TN on Feb 8

Signalling a tough stand againstexpelled leader V K Sasikala, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Naduon Thursday said it has petitioned the state police chief torestrain non-members of the party from using its flag, daysafter she travelled in a car fitted with it in Bengaluru.

The petition has been submitted ahead of the return ofSasikala, confidante of late Tamil Nadu chief minister JJayalalithaa, after a gap of four years on completion of herjail term in Bengaluru in a corruption case.

Incidentally, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam generalsecretary T T V Dhinakaran said Sasikala, confidante of lateTamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and his aunt, wouldreturn to the state next Monday, instead of earlier scheduleof Sunday.

Speaking to reporters here, AIADMK deputy coordinator K PMunusamy said the 'main reason' for the petition was due tothe use of the party's flag by Sasikala in Bengaluru on Sundayafter her discharge from a hospital where she was treated forCOVID-19.

The plea was submitted to restrain non-members from usingthe AIADMK flag, the senior leader said adding Sasikala wasnot a member of his party and she had no moral right to usethe flag.

It is seen as a move to ensure that the AIADMK flag wasnot used by Sasikala or her associates in the AMMK when shereturned to Tamil Nadu.

The AIADMK flag was mounted on the bonnet of a car shetravelled following her recent discharge from the hospital inthe Karnataka capital after recovery from COVID-19.

Sasikala was set free on January 27 following completionof a four year prison sentence in a corruption case.

The ruling party had then itself questioned the proprietyof Sasikala's action when she had been ousted from the party.

Dhinakaran had defended the use of the AIADMK flag,saying Sasikala continued to be the general secretary of theparty and litigation relating to her ''so-called expulsion'' andconnected matters were pending before the court.

Sasikala was expelled from the party in September, 2017along with Dhinakaran and others by the general council of thecombined AIADMK under the leadership of Chief Minister KPalaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam after the twomerged their respective factions.