It may be noted that it has been more than two weeks since ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala came out from Bengaluru prison.

“The AIADMK MLAs and Ministers are intact with the team led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and party coordinator O Panneerselvam and the Sasikala factor is fizzling out,” said an AIADMK senior stating that Chinnamma (Sasikala), after the road show is maintaining silence as there is no adequate traction from the AIADMK supporters.

“Further our party leaders have gone ahead with inviting applications from aspiring MLA candidates and this hints that there are no merger plans on the cards,” the senior added.

‘Do not underestimate Chinnamma’

However, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Tuesday dismissed the hibernation theory of AIADMK leaders. “We are playing it safe due to coronavirus spread and the political pace of AMMK will pick up in another few weeks. Do not underestimate Chinnamma,” Dhinakaran told reporters.

The objective of the party was to fight against the DMK and said that the party will not have any alliance with the AIADMK. We are here to defeat the rival DMK and retrieve the parent AIADMK, the RK Nagar MLA said. He also said that more cadre would migrate towards the AMMK when the elections are announced.

“My view is that she will be doing her homework and waiting for the political developments to unveil. Sasikala will not be a silent spectator and she can be a spoilsport for Chief Minister Palaniswami. Further, she has nothing to lose,” opined political commentator R Mani.

He added that it was a fact that she was very powerful during the days of former CM J Jayalalithaa and state ministers would queue up before her. Come elections, more political drama will start unveiling and even if AMMK and Sasikala eat into five per cent vote share of AIADMK, it will be a setback for the ruling party helping the opposition DMK. And if there is a merger of AIADMK and AMMK, the polls will be a tough fight between the united AIADMK and the DMK, Mani opined.