MP defends letter for Sasikala

Says standing as surety was an opportunity to serve his leader

A.P. Nagarajan.

An AIADMK MP, on whose surety former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s aide V.K. Sasikala was granted 15-days parole from prison following the death of her husband M. Natarajan, has defended his action. Incidentally, none of the top leaders from the AIADMK or Ministers issued any statement condoling Natarajan’s death as the party had treated him and his family as persona non grata.

MP P. Nagarajan, who represents the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency, had issued a letter attesting to the fact that Natarajan had died and that Sasikala, being his wife, had to attend his funeral.

Mr. Nagarajan told

The Hindu on Thursday that he was not concerned about the consequences for his action of being the surety for Sasikala.

Pointing out that he had agreed to stand surety immediately when he was approached on Tuesday, the MP said he considered it as a “great opportunity to serve my leader.”

Also, it was his “bounden duty” to do so.

Pulling up Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar for his remark that there was “no contact in any form” with the family of Sasikala, the MP contended that it was because of her intervention that those who were enjoying power had got their positions.

He said it would be in the fitness of things for them to quit their positions.