Poes Garden: It’s party versus family

The AIADMK (Amma) maintains Jayalalithaa’s iconic bungalow, but it’s still not clear who owns it

Few visitors: The Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa wears a deserted look.

Jayalalithaa is dead and V. K. Sasikala is in jail. But Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden has not changed hands . Half-a-dozen long-serving domestic staff live there and the only regular visitor is Poongundran, who had served as Jayalalithaa’s personal assistant.

With no one legally inheriting former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s imposing bungalow, the one-time political fortress, wears a deserted look six months after her death.

Locked rooms

Among the staff is Rajam, who has lived there for over 45 years, while the party (AIADMK-Amma) is taking care of the maintenance of the property.

A handful of police personnel stand guard along the now quiet road leading to the palatial bungalow, once crowded with Ministers, MPs, MLAs and party functionaries.

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A visit to the bungalow on Tuesday showed that except for a small passage that leads to a couple of rooms adjacent to the main building where Mr. Poongundran and others work, all other rooms are locked from the inside.

Ms. Rajam alone has access to the inner rooms for cleaning.

Mr. Poongundran visits the bungalow every day, goes through communications relating to party affairs that have been received and returns in the evening.

Dhinakaran’s disclaimer

In an interview to The Hindu on Monday, T.T.V. Dhinakaran said he had nothing to do with Veda Nilayam, and dismissed allegations that he or his family members had taken possession of the property.

“Poes Garden is like a temple and Amma is like a God to all of us. Who am I to take over her property…I am not aware why Deepa [Jayalalithaa’s niece] came there and who invited her. I came to know of the happenings only after seeing television channels,” Mr. Dhinakaran said. “I have visited Poes Garden only once after party general secretary Sasikala went to jail. Why would I want to take over that property…it will only go to the legal heirs,” he said.

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Asked who was in possession of Veda Nilayam, he said the property belonged to Jayalalithaa and the system that existed earlier was continuing.

“I don’t know why Deepa is making allegations against me. If she can prove her claim as a legal heir to Amma, then she can take possession of the property. I have no role whatsoever in this…my priority now is to unite the factions and ensure that the government completes its full term by giving good governance to the people.”

Asked about security guards being posted, he said, “There are one or two private security guards at the gate like in any other house. Anybody can come after getting permission to pay homage to Amma.”

In February, two months after Jayalalithaa’s death, Core Cell CID of the Tamil Nadu police were withdrawn from the Poes Garden area.