CHENNAI: After finally deciding to launch her own party, former AIADMK interim general secretary and close aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, VK Sasikala, hit out at the Leader of the Opposition Edappadi Palaniswami, saying that she made him the Chief Minister, only to be betrayed.
Sasikala finally broke her dilemma and announced the decision launch a new political party, stating that the party's name would be revealed later. She alleged that there were conspiracies to move her from Karnakata prisons to Chennai jails under the influence of the then AIADMK ministers and claimed that she would not have survived to launch the party if it had succeeded.
Addressing a gathering at Kamudhi in Ramanathapuram district, Sasikala unveiled the party's tricolour flag featuring black, white, and red. The flag carries the images of CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa at its centre. She said the new party would follow the Dravidian ideology and function on the principles laid down by the three leaders.
Sasikala said the party would work for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden and expressed confidence that it would succeed in the coming elections. She also asserted that the party would deliver a "befitting response" to its political opponents and those who had betrayed her.
Recalling developments following Jayalalithaa's demise, Sasikala said she had accepted the post of interim general secretary and considered becoming Chief Minister only after being persuaded by ministers and MLAs. She maintained that former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had committed no wrongdoing during that period.
She further recalled that she had secured the support of party MLAs and facilitated the appointment of Edappadi K Palaniswami as Chief Minister before she was imprisoned. However, she alleged that the present AIADMK leadership later sidelined her and deceived her.
Without directly naming Palaniswami, Sasikala accused the current AIADMK leadership of being selfish and unconcerned about the party's welfare. She alleged that senior leaders and long-time loyalists were being ignored.
Stating that the time had come to launch a new political movement, Sasikala said the party would contest elections to serve the people of Tamil Nadu and expressed confidence in electoral success.