Chennai
Sasikala broke down and her voice choked at several points of her speech. She said “if those who had interacted with Amma just for a few minutes were shaken by her death, imagine the pain I, who had spent 33 years with her, would have suffered.” “I have attended thousands of meetings with Amma. But, never dreamt or thought that such a tragedy would happen. It was like a thunderbolt on my head,” she said.
Referring to Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation, she said, “after 75 days of battle when she was shifted to a private ward from the ICCu due to the treatment by experts and the prayers of cadre, I was confident that that Amma would return to Poes Garden, but fate was cruel and played the other way.”
“For Amma, the party was her life. For me, it was Amma who was my life. However, God has taken his loving daughter,” she said. Stating that she was humbled by the affection and trust reposed in her by party cadres which forced her to take up the party leadership, Sasikala said “it is my duty to complete the mission and good deeds left behind by Jayalalithaa.” “Today I have lost everything” Sasikala said. “I am now 62 and from my 29th year I have spent the last 33 years with amma. I will devote the rest of my life for the kazhagam and people.”
Stating that nobody could “fill Amma’s place even after thousands of years” she said, “lessons she taught us will be followed diligently.” Ideals of Annadurai, MGR and Amma would continue to be followed, Sasikala said.
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