In a dramatic political move ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala has announced that she will launch her own party and field candidates - a direct challenge to AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Speaking to NDTV in Madurai before leaving to address a public meeting in Pasumpon - the birthplace of Thevar icon Muthuramalinga Thevar - as part of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary events, Sasikala said, "I am introducing our flag this evening."
While the nitty-gritty of her party and structure remain unclear, she asserted, "I'd field my candidates and I am going to tell about a lot of things to people today."
Her announcement follows a series of strategy meetings with loyalists over the past few weeks.
The timing and venue are politically significant.
Sasikala belongs to the influential Thevar community in southern Tamil Nadu, and Pasumpon holds symbolic value among the community's voters.
A Direct Hit At EPS
Her move is widely seen as an attempt to hit back at EPS - the leader she handpicked to be Chief Minister after Jayalalithaa's death in 2016. However, once firmly in control, EPS expelled Sasikala from the AIADMK while she was in jail after he patched up with O Panneerselvam whom she unseated.
The two leaders evolved a dual leadership model with OPS heading the party and EPS the government. At the same time, OPS became number two in the government and EPS no. 2 in the party.
After Jayalalithaa's death, Sasikala was made the General Secretary of the AIADMK and had unsuccessfully attempted to become Chief Minister. But her conviction in the disproportionate assets case linked to Jayalalithaa led to a four-year jail term, derailing her ambitions.
She remains barred from contesting elections until 2027.
Over the years, the expulsion of Sasikala, her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) fractured the Thevar vote base - a development many analysts say contributed to AIADMK's decline in the three elections following Jayalalithaa's death.
While Dhinakaran has returned to the NDA fold, EPS is reportedly opposed to any arrangement that brings Sasikala or OPS under the same umbrella. OPS, too, has exited the NDA.
Sasikala has repeatedly described EPS as a "betrayer", while EPS maintains that he was elected by AIADMK MLAs, not appointed by her.
Sources close to Sasikala say she views EPS as her "enemy number one" and hopes her entry into the fray would dent his prospects of reclaiming the Chief Minister's post.
AIADMK's Sharp Reaction
The AIADMK is yet to issue a formal statement. However, a senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, questioned her political legitimacy: "How can a leader who is disqualified from contesting do this? The sword of Damocles hangs before her over Jayalalithaa's death. People know that."
Whether Sasikala's fresh gamble will revive her political relevance or further fragment the opposition space remains to be seen. But one thing is clear - the Sasikala factor is back, and it threatens to complicate EPS's electoral calculations in southern Tamil Nadu.
