TIRUPATHUR: V K Sasikala started a new political journey on Monday, standing up to her supporters-turned-detractors and warning them against letting “the common enemy” capture the government.
“I will be actively involved in politics,” Sasikala told reporters at Tirupathur.
She said the government had closed the Jayalalithaa memorial because it was scared of her visiting the place.
Never dropping her belligerent stance, she underscored the need for unity.
“Amma (J Jayalalithaa) felt we should not let our common enemies divide us. And it is our duty to protect her dream. The movement that is the AIADMK should not collapse because of few people’s likes and dislikes,” Sasikala said.
Starting from Bengaluru around 8am, Sasikala was on the highway till late night. Through the journey, AMMK cadres showered her car bearing an AIADMK flag with flowers and hailed her as ‘thyagathalaivi’ (the leader who sacrificed).
On AIADMK’s complaint against her using the party flag, she said, “It shows their fear.” She said people knew why the memorials of Jayalalithaa and MGR remain shut. To questions if she would visit the party office and if there was a possibility of an AIADMK-AMMK merger, she said she would soon talk to journalists in detail.
The return of Sasikala, who was officially released from the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru on January 27, was delayed after she tested positive for Covid-19 and underwent treatment in a Bengaluru hospital and spent a week in isolation in a farmhouse in Devanahalli.
“With the grace of the almighty and the blessings of my sister Puratchi Thalaivi Jayalalithaa, who lives in peoples’ hearts, I’ve recovered from Covid,” Sasikala said. Recalling a song from a popular MGR film ‘Anbukku naan adimai, Tamil panbukku naan adimai’, Sasikala said she was a slave to the affection of the cadres and people of Tamil Nadu. “But I am not scared of oppressive actions,” she said.
Recalling Jayalalithaa’s statement that the AIADMK would continue to govern for 100 years, Sasikala said, “To achieve this, I will dedicate my life and soul for the development of the party. My family is the party and the party is my family.” The AIADMK had risen like a phoenix from the ashes whenever it faced problems. “The party will rise like a phoenix this time too,” she said. “We will win the election amidst several problems with the blessings of Amma,” she said.