Not to be cowed down, Sasikala interacts with AIADMK workers in Edappadi

Chennai, June 17 Even as leaders like former Chief Minister E. Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam had openly objected to the entry of former interim general secretary of the AIADMK, V.K. Sasikala into the party fold, she seems unfazed and has telephonically interacted with the AIADMK cadres in Palaniswami's constituency, Edappadi.

She called the cadres even as a party meeting held at Omalur in Edapaddi in the presence of Palaniswami passed a resolution against Sasikala's entry into the party.

Sasikala in a leaked telephonic conversation was heard speaking to a local AIADMK functionary, Suresh in Edappadi in which she told him that she would be back in the party soon. Sasikala was speaking against the style of functioning of Palaniswami and Panneerselvam.

Suresh was telling her that she was welcome back into the party fold and that the AIADMK cadres numbering 1.5 crore would rally behind her. He said, "We in Edappadi are waiting for you here."

Responding to Suresh, Sasikala said, "I have been getting a lot of wedding invitations from the party functionaries there and I have been sending replies to them and my wishes."

She said, "Decades ago after the passing away of Thalaivar(MGR), we took everybody along and there was no discrimination between Janaki faction and Jayalalithaa faction during those days." She added, "We did not discriminate anyone on caste lines in the party those days and we have to give party posts to leaders from all communities and if any one at the top behaves in a high-handed way, the party cadres would never accept that."

Former minister and AIADMK Villupuram district secretary CVe Shanmugham had categorically stated that Sasikala and her relatives will never be allowed into the party. The Villupuram district committee of the AIADMK passed a resolution condemning Sasikala and her plans of coming back to the party.