The Clip and Cling of Sasikala

It was always an open secret that Sasikala will decide her political future post assembly election results and as the AIADMK faced a debacle, Sasikala is all set to put Palaniswami's leadership to a real test, probably with the help and support of OPS.

By Nitin Keshar

The political pundits in down south are expecting the the return of Sasikala Natarajan into active politics as the Palaniswami (EPS) government is ousted in the recent assembly polls. Latest evidence of this is found in an audio clip, which is believed to be true, where the lady is more than just hinting at her return in near future. She has indicated her return to active politics after the end of the Covid-19 epidemic. The clip is going viral on social media, in which she has assured her return to politics by talking to her party leader.

“Don’t worry, things of the party will definitely be alright, all be brave. Once this corona pandemic is over, I will be back,” Sasikala is heard telling one of her party leader on the phone in the given clip. In response, the party leader says, “We will stay behind you Amma.” The authenticity of the audio is cemented when AMMK general secretary TTV Dinakaran’s personal assistant Janarthan has confirmed it to

be the real voice of Sasikala.

In the turn of event, according to a news agency, AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) has also reached out to Sasikala through her close associates, during the lockdown. As the tension escalates between Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, the coordinator has decided to ally with Sasikala to collapse Palaniswami's surge in the party. It seems that AIADMK is far from being free from leadership disputes.

The agency has held that Sasikala had made hundreds of calls in the recent past to the AIADMK cadres and it is learnt that a sizeable cadre has endorsed its support to the lady and urged her to return to active politics and take over the party from the current leaders. Following the leaked audio clip, one of the cadres, Balakrishnan in Erode, who received a call from Sasikala, had erected digital posters in support of Sasikala and demand of building a single leadership in the ADMK.

Tussle between OPS and EPS causing gain for Sasikala

The power tussle between the two top leaders—O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami—has once again started flowing out in the open. Both leaders have been giving out contradictory statements to the media on various issues. Just days back, there was more than a tussle for the post of leader of opposition in the assembly. Finally, after several rounds of meetings, Palaniswami won the fight as 60 MLAs out of the 66 total who won from the AIADMK has supported Palaniswami. Notably, most of the legislators were from the western region, where Palaniswami had a strong support and is also a tenet of his strength.

Sasikala’s hidden agenda before the election

Sasikala announced retirement from

In the turn of event, according to a news agency, AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam (OPS) has also reached out to Sasikala through her close associates, during the lockdown

active politics just before the assembly elections. Nonetheless, Sasikala had said in a letter to her supporters that the cadre of AIADMK should work unitedly to defeat the DMK. When things went awry between Sasikala and AIADMK post Jayalalithaa death, she was suspended from the party.

She was just released from the Parappana Agrahara Central prison in Bangalore after serving a fouryear jail term in case related to disproportionate wealth case. There is an intense rift in the AIADMK after the loss in elections and it was evident during the selection of the opposition leader. Palaniswami had pipped Panneerselvam for the post of opposition leader and Panneerselvam had left the AIADMK headquarters where the meeting was held, in a huff.

While Palaniswami had emerged stronger in the party owing to his huge victory in his home constituency Edappadi with a margin of more than 90 thousand votes, he was also instrumental in the victories of AIADMK led front in ten of the eleven seats in Salem district. On the other hand, under the leadership of Panneerselvam AIADMK party faced a drubbing in the southern part of the state which had been a stronghold of the party ever since. AIADMK could win only Bodinayknar seat of O Panneerselvam while the party

lost in other seats in Theni. This was a major setback for the AIADMK as the predominant "Thevar" community was always aligned with the AIADMK ever since Sasikala had emerged in AIADMK politics.

Sasikala, according to the sources in AMMK is inclined to take over the AIADMK and pose a threat to the ruling DMK dispensation and it has to be seen how far she will succeed in wriggling her way to the top in the new avatar of AIADMK in which Edappadi K Palaniswami has emerged stronger.

Sasikala’s Unfulfilled Political Journey

Sasikala is barred from contesting elections for another six years. Despite this, her release from jail could shake up the political campaign with backdoor maneuvering taking place courtesy her nephew. At the height of her power, Sasikala was a hugely influential force within the AIADMK and, if she is able to rediscover even some of that influence, she could emerge a key player not far from here. Sasikala had virtually controlled the AIADMK and had its leaders falling at

Her announcement had poured a major relief to EPS to enjoy his captaincy in the party, but his relief has become temporary as Sasikala tends to come back to politics

her feet in a post-Jayalalithaa order.

Sasikala – A Wind of Change?

The audio clip has stunned the leaders close to EPS as they are working out to block Sasikala's entry. While it was speculated that she will make a political resurgence before the assembly polls and take over the AIADMK, she had on March announced that she is quitting active politics. Her announcement had poured a major relief to EPS to enjoy his captaincy in the party, but his relief has become temporary as Sasikala tends to come back to politics. It was earlier speculated that Sasikala will decide her political future after the election results and as the AIADMK faced a debacle in the polls, Sasikala is all set to put Palaniswami's leadership to a real test, probably with the help and support of OPS - the disgruntled fraction.

Sources in the party hold that the audio clip is impacting the minds of the ground-level workers and a change in the leadership may become reality in near future. Few workers are outspoken that Sasikala is the right person to lead the party. Many a key leaders in the AIADMK have been engaged in business with Sasikala in the days of Jayalalithaa and may not mind a return to the status quo.

The key question that now seems would be interesting to witness in Tamil Nadu is that a strong fight between Sasikala – the challenger, and the EPS – who holds his bastion strong and solid. n