AIADMK, Sasikala differences mar Jaya’s 5th death anniversary event
CHENNAI: The differences between the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and supporters of expelled leader VK Sasikala over being the true heir to the party spilled over on the streets at J Jayalalithaa’s mausoleum on Sunday on the late chief minister’s fifth death anniversary.
AIADMK’S coordinator and joint coordinator O Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami, who are the only duo to have filed nominations for internal party elections to the posts, are likely to be announced winners. They put up a united front at the mausoleum where they took a pledge that the party was a fortress that cannot be shaken by anyone. “We will not let enemies win through divide and rule conspiracies,” Panneerselvam said, and others followed suit.
Later, a teary eyed Sasikala with her supporters gathered at the mausoleum, where she was hailed as general secretary of the party. They took a pledge to be united under Sasikala’s leadership to win future polls in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK, which is allied with the Bharatiya Janata
Party, lost power in the assembly elections earlier this year.
Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran, who in 2018 floated the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), a breakaway faction of AIADMK, took a pledge vowing to take over the parent party.
There were tense moments when Palaniswami’s car was leaving, as cadres of AIADMK and AMMK raised slogans against one another.
As Palaniswami was leaving the premises of the mausoleum on Marina beach, an unidentified man flung a slipper on his car. A member of the AIADMK filed a complaint at the D6 Anna Square police station accusing AMMK cadre of attempting to attack the former chief minister.
“Such things usually happen during political events and usually someone files a complaint,” said an officer of the station.
Reacting to the complaint, Dhinakaran took to Twitter to take a dig at the AIADMK, saying, “We do not have that kind of mentality...we do not believe in violence.”
Amidst Sasikala trying to wrest control of AIADMK, a party she manoeuvred from behind the scenes as Jayalalithaa’s close confidante, and rebel voices growing in support of her return and against the dual leadership, Panneerselvam and Palaniswami have strengthened their positions in sharing power.
Not too long ago, Sasikala found support in Panneerselvam, who told reporters they will discuss her re-induction, which Palaniswami disapproved of. One again, the duo seemed to have compromised to co-exist.