WON’T BE COWED DOWN: SASIKALA

CHENNAI: Making her way into Tamil Nadu from Bengaluru by road amid a sea of “supporters”, VK Sasikala, a close aide of former CM J Jayalalithaa, on Monday declared she will play an active role in politics and won’t be cowed down by “regressive measures”. Foiling the AIADMK government’s bid to prevent her from using the party flag, she pulled a fast one beneath the watchful eyes of the administrator by travelling in an SUV belonging to an AIADMK functionary.

Sasikala, who completed a 4-year jail in a corruption case, would not be able to contest a poll for 6 years but it did not seem to deter her from making clear her political plans.

On Monday, her “supporters” succeeded in creating an impression as if she enjoyed popular support by ensuring her convoy inched its way 50 km from Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border to Krishnagiri toll gate in 5 hours. At the time of going to press, her convoy was nearing Vellore, 140 kms of Chennai. En route, flower petals were showered on her vehicle and even drones were used to fly banners hailing her as ‘Thiyagi Thalaivi’ (leader of sacrifice) and ‘Chinnamma’ (younger mother).

Claiming she would devote her life for the growth of the AIADMK, Sasikala also sought to project herself as a messenger of unity warning the party should not disintegrate due to “personal likes and dislikes” of a few individuals. “My objective is we should work together to ensure our common enemy [DMK] is defeated [in the elections],” she claimed.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK leadership sought to put together a brave face declaring her arrival would not impact the party in any manner. The party expelled a handful of functionaries who greeted her in person or facilitated her travel in vehicles bearing the party flag. Ahead of her arrival, the government also implemented the SC order in the DA case by “confiscating to the Govt of Tamil Nadu” half-a-dozen properties in Chennai, in the names of co-convicts Ilavarasi and VN Sudhagaran, Sasikala’s relatives. —N Chithra