Stepped back from politics to give Edappadi K Palaniswami, O Panneerselvam a chance: V K Sasikala

CHENNAI: In a recent call to an AIADMK cadre, V K Sasikala explained the rationale behind her decision to step back from politics after her return from the Bengaluru prison on serving her four-year term in the disproportionate assets case.
“When they (AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami and coordinator O Panneerselvam) claimed they would win 150 seats in the assembly election, I decided to give them a chance and stepped back. But we were defeated. So, I decided to come back and strengthen the party and get back the glorious days,” she said in a conversation to a party woman worker, released on Saturday.
On March 3, three weeks after a grand road show and return to Chennai, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala made an announcement to ‘step aside’ from politics, urging partymen to remain united and to ensure the party’s victory in the April assembly election. But in a dramatic comeback, Sasikala returned to the limelight, reconnecting with disgruntled cadres, who had written to her urging her to take over the party, and promising them she would ensure the AIADMK’s grand return on the political scene.
Relentlessly pursuing her mission to connect with the AIADMK workers, Sasikala, during a call to Gomathi Srinivasan of Villupuram said, “What did I say when I returned from prison? That we should be together. I stepped back and decided to let them go ahead and fulfil their promise to win 150 seats. But what happened. We lost.” Sounding confident about returning to the party and taking over its reins. Sasikala told another party worker Sundarapandian from Sankarankoil, “I am here for party cadres. Unlike them (EPS and OPS), we don’t discriminate on caste or communal lines. When I was in (Poes) Garden with Amma (Jayalalithaa), I was in the habit of reaching out to cadres. This is nothing new to me.”
Heaping effusive praise on her, partymen said there was “great expectation” from cadres. “We want you to take over the party and bring back the military discipline that Amma and you had enforced within the AIADMK,” said Sundarapandian. For her party, Sasikala promised to visit Jayalalithaa’s memorial and to the state to meet cadres.
Meanwhile, the rattled AIADMK leadership continued with the sacking spree, expelling cadres who maintained links with Sasikala. In periodical intervals, the AIADMK issued orders, expelling partymen from across the state. “We had advised cadres not to get swayed by Sasikala’s gimmicks. But if they continue to reach out to her, we have no option but to expel them,” said a senior leader, seeking anonymity in wake of a recent gag order.