AIADMK cracks the whip, expels 16 functionaries who spoke with Sasikala

Sending out a strong message to its ousted interim general secretary, the AIADMK on Monday expelled 16 functionaries who spoke with V K Sasikala over the phone in the past few weeks and accused her of “enacting a drama” by claiming that she would “grab” the party.

In a four-page resolution passed at the Legislature Party meeting, the AIADMK said it would like to remind everyone that the party will never destroy itself to “fulfil the desires” of one family, an obvious reference to the Sasikala clan.

Overcoming the differences between them, coordinator O Panneerselvam, and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami moved the resolution to keep Sasikala out of the party. The two leaders were at loggerheads on who gets to be Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly and had exchanged barbs against each other at the last meeting.

As Sasikala’s camp continues to release audio clips of party functionaries talking to her over the phone in which she promises to make a comeback and “head the party”, AIADMK sources said, the meeting decided to put up a united face, and send a message that the party won’t buckle under pressure.

Read | Sasikala’s phone calls with her supporters: Decoding the plan

“The resolution was passed unanimously, and it was prepared after the deliberations at the Legislature Party meeting. The legislators were united in not letting Sasikala take over the party. Everyone was against her re-entry,” a senior legislator who attended the meeting told DH.

Another legislator said since unity was the buzzword in the meeting, OPS agreed to function as deputy leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party. “He had no option but to agree. He does not have much support or say in the AIADMK now. And I believe Delhi (read BJP) may have had a role in OPS’ decision,” a party senior told DH.

The resolution made a frontal attack on Sasikala – this is probably the first time her name is being mentioned by the party in an official document after her ouster in 2017 – accusing her of trying to make a comeback into politics using the party’s popularity.

The four-page resolution was stinging and recommended action against everyone who spoke to Sasikala and “brought disrepute to the AIADMK.” Within minutes of the meeting, OPS and EPS released two statements expelling 16 functionaries, including a former minister, and ex-MP, for touching base with Sasikala.

Read | AIADMK united on keeping Sasikala family out of the party: Palaniswami

The resolution is significant as Sasikala continues with her outreach to AIADMK cadres promising them of her “re-entry” into the AIADMK and “set things right” in the party. Sasikala's outreach comes three months after she announced that she was “stepping aside” from politics after she came out of the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru.

However, after the AIADMK’s defeat, Sasikala feels she has a chance to head the party again.