Sasikala not a AIADMK member, following policy of divide and rule, says party leader Jayakumar

Days after AIADMK expelled 16 of its party members for interacting with former party president Sasikala, party's leader D Jayakumar said that Sasikala is following a policy of divide and rule which will not work in AIADMK.

"Sasikala isn't a member of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). How can she inherit the party? Earlier she had said that she will stay away from politics. We got a better vote bank in the last Assembly polls. O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami are doing good," Jayakumar told reporters here.

"Sasikala is following the policy of divide and rule which will not work in AIADMK. Whoever is going against the party's law can't be accepted. Action has been taken against those who went away from abiding law of AIADMK," he said.

In an audio clip released by Sasikala's Personal Assistant Karthikeyan yesterday, Sasikala said, "I will definitely come to save AIADMK party because its cadres are important for me. It's time now to come forward and I'll do it. Sure, when I'll come, good things will happen."

On June 14, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) expelled sixteen of its party functionaries who interacted with VK Sasikala.

This comes after the Legislature Party meeting had passed a resolution calling for actions against those who spoke to Sasikala, a close-aid of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The party also expelled party spokesperson V Pugazhendi, stating that the leader was against the party.

AIADMK, in its statement earlier termed Sasikala's telephonic conversations with its cadre as "drama" and stated: "The party will never destroy itself for the desires of one family."

Earlier, on May 30, Sasikala had dropped enough hints of returning to active politics after the COVID-19 pandemic. In an audio clip of a phone conversation between Sasikala and one of the party cadres, which has gone viral on social media, the leader was heard confirming her plans of her return into politics. This followed after AIADMK lost the power in Tamil Nadu elections to DMK.The phone call has been verified by Janarthanan, the personal assistant for AMMK General Secretary TTV Dinakaran.

( With inputs from ANI )