<p>Chennai: Two weeks after announcing her intention to launch a political party, V K Sasikala, the long-time aide of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, on Friday declared that her outfit will be known as All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AIPTMMK). </p><p>Sasikala also said the new party’s election symbol is coconut grove. </p>.VK Sasikala reveals name of new party: All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munetra Kazhagam.<p>Sasikala said she was joining the AIPTMMK, which was registered as a political party in 2016 by Madurai-based P Sakkaravarthy, and taking over as its chief. </p><p>On February 24, she introduced the party’s flag – black, white and red with images of DMK founder C N Annadurai and AIADMK leaders M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa embossed in the middle. </p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly elections | Sasikala floats new party on Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary.<p>“Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) joined the AIADMK, which was registered by one of his followers, in 1972 after he was expelled from the DMK. Today, I find myself in a similar situation as I'm joining a party launched by a true follower of MGR and Jayalalithaa,” Sasikala told reporters after announcing the party’s name. </p><p> “I'll certainly ally with other parties. I'm not like others who systemically eliminate seniors from the party and say no to tie-ups,” Sasikala said, taking a dig at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.</p><p>Sasikala, who has been isolated by those she ruled over from the sidelines for 30 years, is likely to ally with PMK founder S Ramadoss, who has lost most of his functionaries to his son Anbumani, who now runs the party that wields considerable influence among Vanniyars, a dominant community spread across northern and central Tamil Nadu. </p>.RS poll: AIADMK’s Thambidurai, PMK Anbumani file nominations.<p>The former AIADMK interim general secretary believes a section of Mukulathors, the community to which she belongs, might stand behind her and that is the reason why she floated a new party. </p><p>With the efforts by both Sasikala and Ramadoss to join the NDA being stonewalled by Palaniswami and Anbumani respectively, the duo are mulling fielding candidates in regions where they wield considerable influence.</p><p>“Their goal is now to teach a lesson to their respective foes. They know they won’t win but can be a spoiler,” a source aware of the developments told <em>DH</em>.</p><p>Though she cannot contest polls till 2027 due to her conviction in a disproportionate assets (DA) case, Sasikala believes her camp can make a difference by fielding candidates at least in constituencies where Mukulathors hold the key.</p><p>Though Sasikala is not seen as a representative of Mukulathors, who are spread across central and southern TN, it is a fact that her association with Jayalalithaa brought the community further closer to the AIADMK. </p><p>Sasikala, who controlled the AIADMK from the sidelines for three decades as friend and advisor to Jayalalithaa, has lost her support base with no senior leader joining her camp after she was released from jail in 2021. Her efforts to rejoin the AIADMK also failed with party general secretary Palaniswami stonewalling them.</p>
<p>Chennai: Two weeks after announcing her intention to launch a political party, V K Sasikala, the long-time aide of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, on Friday declared that her outfit will be known as All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AIPTMMK). </p><p>Sasikala also said the new party’s election symbol is coconut grove. </p>.VK Sasikala reveals name of new party: All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munetra Kazhagam.<p>Sasikala said she was joining the AIPTMMK, which was registered as a political party in 2016 by Madurai-based P Sakkaravarthy, and taking over as its chief. </p><p>On February 24, she introduced the party’s flag – black, white and red with images of DMK founder C N Annadurai and AIADMK leaders M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa embossed in the middle. </p>.Tamil Nadu Assembly elections | Sasikala floats new party on Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary.<p>“Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) joined the AIADMK, which was registered by one of his followers, in 1972 after he was expelled from the DMK. Today, I find myself in a similar situation as I'm joining a party launched by a true follower of MGR and Jayalalithaa,” Sasikala told reporters after announcing the party’s name. </p><p> “I'll certainly ally with other parties. I'm not like others who systemically eliminate seniors from the party and say no to tie-ups,” Sasikala said, taking a dig at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.</p><p>Sasikala, who has been isolated by those she ruled over from the sidelines for 30 years, is likely to ally with PMK founder S Ramadoss, who has lost most of his functionaries to his son Anbumani, who now runs the party that wields considerable influence among Vanniyars, a dominant community spread across northern and central Tamil Nadu. </p>.RS poll: AIADMK’s Thambidurai, PMK Anbumani file nominations.<p>The former AIADMK interim general secretary believes a section of Mukulathors, the community to which she belongs, might stand behind her and that is the reason why she floated a new party. </p><p>With the efforts by both Sasikala and Ramadoss to join the NDA being stonewalled by Palaniswami and Anbumani respectively, the duo are mulling fielding candidates in regions where they wield considerable influence.</p><p>“Their goal is now to teach a lesson to their respective foes. They know they won’t win but can be a spoiler,” a source aware of the developments told <em>DH</em>.</p><p>Though she cannot contest polls till 2027 due to her conviction in a disproportionate assets (DA) case, Sasikala believes her camp can make a difference by fielding candidates at least in constituencies where Mukulathors hold the key.</p><p>Though Sasikala is not seen as a representative of Mukulathors, who are spread across central and southern TN, it is a fact that her association with Jayalalithaa brought the community further closer to the AIADMK. </p><p>Sasikala, who controlled the AIADMK from the sidelines for three decades as friend and advisor to Jayalalithaa, has lost her support base with no senior leader joining her camp after she was released from jail in 2021. Her efforts to rejoin the AIADMK also failed with party general secretary Palaniswami stonewalling them.</p>