East AIADMK Chief V.K. Sasikala Recently announced the name of its new political party- All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. The move signals a new phase in his political journey. Outlining her political plans, Sasikala said, “I will work to the best of my ability and use my 39 years of political experience to remove the DMK government.”
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His entry into the state assembly elections comes at a time when the elections are expected to see a high-stakes contest between Edappadi K Palaniswami-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Chief Minister MK Stalin and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by his son. Udayanidhi StalinApart from new entrants like actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).Sasikala, once a close aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, has had a political journey spanning decades, marked by loyalty to the AIADMK leadership as well as controversies, legal battles and changes in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape following Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016.
From confidant to political contender: Who is VK Sasikala?
VK Sasikala is known for her long association with Jayalalitha and the AIADMK. For decades, she remained one of Jayalalitha’s closest aides and confidants, a relationship that gradually brought her to the center of Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.Born in Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu and a high school dropout, Sasikala’s early life was very different and simple. This association strengthened over the years, with Sasikala emerging as one of the most trusted figures in Jayalalitha’s inner circle and often acting as a mediator between the AIADMK leadership and party workers.
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Following Jayalalitha’s death, the AIADMK General Council unanimously appointed Sasikala as the party’s General Secretary, placing her at the helm of the party founded by MG Ramachandran.Taking over as general secretary, Sasikala said, “Amma (Jayalalitha) is no longer with us but our party will rule here for the next 100 years.” His promotion came amid a leadership vacuum within the party and for some time established him as the central figure in the political future of the AIADMK.
However, Sasikala’s political career has also been full of controversies and legal battles. He was earlier sent to 30 days judicial custody in connection with the color TV scam and later convicted in the disproportionate assets case linked to the Jayalalithaa government of the 1990s. In February 2017, the Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentenced him to four years in prison, bringing an abrupt end to his bid to assume the post of Chief Minister in Tamil Nadu.
He surrendered before a special court at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru to serve his sentence.The same year, allegations also surfaced when a senior Karnataka prison official claimed that Sasikala had bribed prison officials for preferential treatment while in custody. His claim has been refuted. He was later released after four years in 2021. Meanwhile, political developments within the AIADMK continued to reshape his role in the party. Nearly nine months after he was appointed interim general secretary following Jayalalitha’s death, the AIADMK General Council passed a resolution in September 2017 removing him from the post and abolishing the post altogether.
A bond between ‘Amma’ and ‘Chinamma’
Sasikala’s political rise is closely linked to the career of Jayalalitha, who is popularly known as “Amma” (Mother) among her supporters. For decades, Sasikala remained one of Jayalalitha’s closest confidants, and earned her the nickname “Chinnamma” (little mother) among a section of party workers who considered her part of the late leader’s inner circle.Sasikala’s association with Jayalalitha began in 1982 when her husband M Natarajan, then a government public relations officer, introduced her to the AIADMK leader. What began as a personal acquaintance soon grew into a close relationship, and Sasikala gradually became a frequent presence at Jayalalithaa’s residence. By 1988, she moved to the late leader’s Poes Garden home in Chennai.
Over the years, Sasikala’s closeness to the AIADMK leader wielded considerable influence within the party. Since Jayalalitha maintained a tightly controlled political circle and remained largely inaccessible to many party officials, Sasikala often acted as an intermediary between the leadership and the cadre. Sasikala often traveled with Jayalalitha and was seen as one of the few people with direct access to the powerful chief minister.Party leaders and candidates seeking posts or election tickets often sent their requests through him, gradually cementing his reputation as a powerful figure behind the scenes within the AIADMK. His influence within the party increased during the years when the AIADMK was in power in Tamil Nadu.
Many leaders who later rose in the party are believed to have benefited from Sasikala’s support. These included O Panneerselvam, who later became the state CM and a central figure in the party’s internal power struggle following Jayalalithaa’s death.Despite wielding influence within the party structure, Sasikala rarely held formal political office during Jayalalitha’s lifetime. Jayalalitha never formally introduced Sasikala as her political successor. His role remained largely informal.However, relations between the two were not without turmoil. In 1996 and again in 2012, Jayalalitha briefly distanced herself from Sasikala, expelling her and several members of her extended family from the Poes Garden residence and accusing them of anti-party activities. When Jayalalitha was hospitalized in 2016, Sasikala stayed with her. After the Chief Minister’s death later that year, she returned to Poe’s Garden.By then, Sasikala had become a deeply embedded figure in the party’s ecosystem – a confidant who had spent more than three decades with one of Tamil Nadu’s most influential political leaders.
Behind bars: Sasikala’s jail saga
In September 2014, a special court sentenced Sasikala and her co-accused to four years in jail along with a fine of Rs 10 crore after finding them guilty of amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of income during their close relationship with Jayalalithaa.After the conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court in February 2017, Sasikala surrendered before the special court at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru on February 14, 2017. AIADMK aide, her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and Jayalalitha’s foster son VN Sudhakaran were immediately taken into custody. Before surrendering she paid homage at Jayalalithaa’s memorial and visited MG Ramachandran’s residence. During her four-year jail term, allegations of preferential treatment emerged, with police officer D Roopa claiming that Sasikala had bribed jail officials for special facilities, including a private kitchen.
Despite these claims, his prison sentence prevented him from contesting elections, halting his immediate ambitions to become Chief Minister.After serving her sentence, Sasikala was finally released in January 2021. His formal release took place at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, where he was undergoing treatment for Covid-19. Following protocol, she remained in the hospital for some time before re-entering the political arena. A crowd of supporters gathered outside the hospital, raising slogans and distributing sweets to celebrate his return.
Sasikala’s political equation with AIADMK
Soon after Jayalalitha’s death, the AIADMK General Council unanimously appointed Sasikala as the party’s interim general secretary, marking the first time that she formally assumed a leadership role within the organization. At that time, O Panneerselvam, a long-time Jayalalitha loyalist, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.However, within a few weeks tensions began to surface. In February 2017, Panneerselvam launched an attack against Sasikala, claiming that she was forced to resign as Chief Minister and accusing her camp of attempting to consolidate control over both the party and the government.
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Amidst the increasing power struggle, AIADMK chose Sasikala as its leader and she staked claim to form the government. However, his bid to become Chief Minister failed when the Supreme Court upheld his conviction and forced him to surrender and serve his jail sentence. Before being jailed, Sasikala appointed Edappadi K Palaniswami as the AIADMK legislature party leader, paving the way for her to take over as chief minister.This deepened the divisions within the party. While Palaniswami emerged as the head of the government, Panneerselvam continued his rebellion, eventually leading to talks that resulted in the merger of factions within the AIADMK in 2017.
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As part of the restructuring, the party briefly abolished the post of General Secretary in 2017 which was later revived in 2022.Speaking at Jayalalithaa’s memorial in Chennai, Panneerselvam claimed that he was pressured to step down from the post of CM. He said, “I am placing these facts before you to make things clear to the public. I will continue to fight. If the people, the MLAs want, I will withdraw my resignation.” In the years that followed, relations between Sasikala and the AIADMK leadership remained tense. Both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam had publicly distanced themselves from him and said that the party would work independently of his influence.
Why is Sasikala forming a new party now?
After years of being sidelined from the AIADMK, Sasikala looks to be paving an independent political path as Tamil Nadu approaches the next assembly elections. Furthermore, the abolition of the general secretary post and consolidation of the leadership effectively closed the doors to Sasikala’s return to the party’s organizational structure.
Against this backdrop, the new organization represents an attempt to re-establish its political presence in a state where the legacy of Jayalalithaa and the AIADMK still holds electoral significance. Outlining her plans for the future, Sasikala said that her political experience will guide her next steps in Tamil Nadu politics.The party’s new flag consisted of black, white and red horizontal stripes bearing the photographs of Dravidian icons CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalitha.The party’s symbol depicts ‘Thenthoppu’ (coconut grove), indicating “unity” and that the party will function like a “joint family”.Sasikala also launched a scathing attack on Palaniswami for allegedly betraying her after appointing him as the Chief Minister in 2017. Launching the party, she said, “I remained silent for so many years in the hope of unity, but the present circumstances have forced me to take this decision. To remain inactive now would be a betrayal of the party workers and the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Sasikala’s next political test!
For decades, Sasikala worked behind the scenes as she remained closely associated with Jayalalitha and the political legacy of the AIADMK. However, today she appears ready to take the next step by expanding her political sphere.There is going to be a massive face-off between all the competing parties in Tamil Nadu on 23rd April. With the launch of Sasikala’s new political party, she is once again coming into the limelight, this time as the face of her political movement.
