'Sidelined' Sasikala to hold rally on February 24, sending a message to AIADMK, BJP

Chennai: Having been isolated by those she ruled over from the sidelines for 30 years, former AIADMK interim general secretary V K Sasikala is making a last-ditch effort to be politically relevant in Tamil Nadu by organising a public rally in Ramanathapuram district on February 24, marking the 77th birth anniversary of J Jayalalithaa.

As a precursor to the rally in which she is expected to announce her stand vis-à-vis April-May assembly elections, Sasikala has been holding consultations with her supporters from several parts of the state for the past one week.

The venue for the rally is also significant—a village near Pasumpon, the birthplace of U. Muthuramalinga Thevar, an icon of the Mukulathors, the community to which she belongs—as Sasikala flexes her political muscle after having “stepped aside” during the 2021 elections, allegedly at the behest of the BJP.

Sources aware of the discussions within Sasikala’s camp told DH that the long-time friend of Jayalalithaa believes she cannot stay a mute spectator this time either and plans to send a clear message to the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that she can’t be taken for granted.

The expectation seems to be a couple of assembly seats in the NDA for Sasikala’s supporters; failing that, the expelled AIADMK leader might field candidates in select constituencies. 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.

“We want to make our voice heard this election. Sasikala stepped aside during 2021 elections in the interests of the AIADMK. But the party has been on the decline electorally since Jayalalithaa’s death. She doesn’t want to stay silent anymore and is discussing her move with her supporters,” a close aide of Sasikala told DH.

Sasikala’s nephew T T V Dhinakaran, who heads the AMMK, has re-joined the NDA and has declared his former bete noire Edappadi K Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial nominee, while another expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam is still holding cards close to his chest.

Sasikala’s rally is being closely watched as the AIADMK and BJP are taking every effort to unite the Mukulathor votes, which were split after 2016 – if she fields her own candidates, that might spell trouble for the NDA. Sources in the BJP told DH that the show of strength by Sasikala is nothing but a feeler to the NDA to bring her into the fold and allot her faction a couple of seats.

“We have to see how things will shape in the next few weeks. As of now, there is no proposal to have Sasikala in the NDA as it might further irritate Palaniswami. One thing is we can’t afford another split in Mukulathors votes, even if it is minimal,” a BJP leader said.

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.

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.