The AIADMK on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to re-admitting V.K. Sasikala, former interim general secretary and aide of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, into the ruling party, and bringing the AMMK, led by her nephew and R.K. Nagar legislator T.T.V. Dhinakaran, into the party fold.
In a related development, the BJP national general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu, C.T. Ravi and BJP president L. Murugan said the national party had nothing to do with the matter.
Addressing the media at the AIADMK headquarters, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar categorically stated that as Chief Minister and party co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami had said in New Delhi in January, there was “no chance” of taking back Ms. Sasikala and the AMMK.
To persistent queries whether the BJP was applying pressure on the AIADMK with regard to the Sasikala-AMMK factor, the Minister denied such reports.
“So far, they [BJP] have not interfered in the internal affairs of my party. Even if they have made any suggestion, we have rejected it. No one can pressure us,” he said.
The Minister claimed that the issue did not crop up during Sunday night’s meeting, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister and his deputy O. Panneerselvam took part. Mr. Jayakumar ridiculed the statement of Mr. Dhinakaran that all those opposed to the DMK could join the coalition to be headed by the AMMK.
Separately, Mr. Ravi said, “They [AIADMK leaders] know about Sasikala and Dhinakaran’s strengths and weaknesses. They both — EPS [Mr. Palaniswami] and OPS [Mr. Panneerelvam] — are able to take a decision. They are the larger party in the alliance, and they will decide.”
Mr. Murugan said, “We are not involved. This is an internal matter between the AIADMK and the AMMK.”
