Sasikala returns to TN after four years; AIADMK says she has no link with party

Expelled AIADMK leaderV K Sasikala on Monday returned to Tamil Nadu to a grandreception, days after completing her four-year jail term inBengaluru in a corruption case, amid indications of aconfrontation with the ruling party which she oncecontrolled.

With her return coinciding with Assembly polls, likelyin another two months, political circles were abuzz with thekind of impact she could make to the ruling dispensation whichreiterated she was not welcome into its fold.

However, the 65-year-old former confidante of lateChief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced she would involveherself in active politics and called for unitedly taking ona ''common foe'' and ensure it does not come to the rulingsaddle again.

Embarking on a near 15 hour journey road trip thatmay normally take not more than six hours, Sasikala's convoyhad to wade through the waiting and waving supporters at manypoints, with chants hailing 'chinnamma' renting the air.

Sasikala crossed into Tamil Nadu at Athipalli inKrishnagiri district bordering Karnataka, around 10 am as hersupporters broke into celebrations, dancing to drum beats andshowering flower petals on her convoy.

She visited a couple of temples on the way home.

Invoking late AIADMK stalwarts M G Ramachandran andJayalalithaa, she called for unity to jointly defeat the''common foe''.

''My desire is that we must jointly work to ensure ourcommon foe does not come to the ruling saddle again in TamilNadu,'' she said without naming anyone.

The AIAMDK, however, reiterated Sasikala and thosewith her had nothing to do with the party and that it wasillegal on their part to use the party flag as she travelledin a car sporting it, for the second time in the last twoweeks.

Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister DJayakumar took exception to Sasikala using the party flag andrecalled the AIADMK's police complaint against it.

''Sasikala and her aides have no link to AIADMK... it isillegal for anyone else (other than party functionaries) touse the flag,'' he told reporters at Chennai.

When asked if the ruling camp was 'nervous' aboutSasikala's return, Jayakumar said ''there is no need for us topanic.'' It was Dhinakaran who will be nervous as Sasikala mayseek explanation from him on many issues, he added.

Clad in a green colour saree, the favourite hue ofJayalalithaa, and wearing a face mask, Sasikala travelled ina car that sported the AIADMK flag over the bonnet,disregarding the warning by the ruling party against its useby non-members.

On the ruling AIADMK Ministers petitioning the policeagainst her use of flag in her car,she said it showed theirapprehension.

Responding to media queries about supporters' demandto ''wrest control of the AIADMK,'' she said ''I will meet youall soon. Will speak in detail then.'' ''Sure, for party workers,'' was her response whenscribes asked if she would engage in active politics, monthsahead of the scheduled Assembly polls in the state.

In a show of grandeur, she was offered a massivegarland made of flowers and fruits and weighing an estimated500kg at Krishnagiri. A crane was used to carry the garland.

Earlier, she underwent her sentence in the Rs 66.65crore disproportionate assets case at the Parapana Agraharacentral prison in Bengaluru since February, 2017 and was setfree on January 27.

However, she remained at the Government VictoriaHospital, where she had been admitted after testing positivefor COVID-19 while under judicial custody.

She was discharged from the hospital on January 31 afterwhich she stayed at a resort, about 35 km from Bengaluru.

On Monday morning, she left the resort, accompanied byT T V Dhinakaran, also the general secretary of Amma MakkalMunnetra Kazhagam, in a convoy of around 200 vehicles as hersupporters raised slogans hailing her.

After Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, Sasikalawas elected the AIADMK's interim general secretary and as itslegislature party leader in February 2017, paving the way forher elevation as chief minister.

However, with the Supreme court restoring her convictionin the assets case awarded by a lower court, she chose herthen loyalist K Palaniswami to be the chief minister beforeproceeding to Bengaluru for serving the sentence.

The AIADMK suffered a split with O Panneerselvam, nowdeputy chief minister, and Palaniswami heading two factions,but they later merged the groups and the general council ofthe combined party expelled Sasikala in September, 2017 alongwith Dhinakaran and others.