Clan war: VK Sasikala picks TTV, puts brother on notice

CHENNAI: Ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala on Friday issued a legal notice to her younger brother V Dhivaharan, asking him not to use her name or portrait to further his political ambition. The 14-page legal notice through which Sasikala disowned Dhivaharan, who had floated a political party, ‘Amma Ani’, exposed the deepening rift within the family.

Sasikala warned Dhivaharan of legal action if he did not stop resorting to actions which are “surprisingly in support of those (chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam), “who backstabbed her and tried to undermine her authority in the party”. In the notice, Sasikala sought to convey that she remained general secretary of the party. The party general council that met on September 12, 2017 had annulled the post of general secretary by amending the bylaw. The notice also drove home the point that T T V Dhinakaran was her political heir.

The notice pointed out that Sasikala was associated with former chief minister J Jayalalithaa for 34 years and took care of her as a “sister, mother and shadow” until her death on December 5, 2016. Sasikala claimed that she had assisted Jayalalithaa in handling AIADMK affairs and solving problems of party leaders and workers.

Noting that Dhinakaran’s party —Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) — was formed with her consent and blessings, Sasikala asked Dhivaharan to stop misrepresenting facts to the media. It was she who appointed TTV as AIADMK deputy general secretary, she said and added the AMMK was formed as a “temporary measure” till the AIADMK and the party flag were retrieved from “backstabbers”.