CHENNAI: On a day, when the AIADMK officially launched its year-long golden jubilee celebrations to mark the completion of 50 years of the party, expelled leader V K Sasikala stepped up efforts to get back into the party by calling upon all the factions to unite as one.
Her message was loud and clear. She was here to stay and her plan -- to take control of an united AIADMK.
“Even when I faced a crisis on the personal front, I ensured that the AIADMK government stayed on course and was in the seat of power. I stepped away from the election scene in order not to hurt the prospects of the AIADMK,” Sasikala said, while addressing a gathering of her supporters at AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran’s residence at Ramapuram in Chennai.
At every step, Sasikala sought to gain sympathy by projecting herself as the one who had been wronged and betrayed.
“All of us have the responsibility to safeguard this party for decades to come. We have to unite for AIADMK to emerge the winner,” Sasikala said, launching her version of AIADMK’s golden jubilee celebrations.
Sasikala urged her supporters not to attack or abuse anyone on the other side of AIADMK. “We cannot commit the same mistake as them,” she cautioned.
Recalling an yesteryear MGR hit song ‘Kann pona pokkile, Kaal pogalama..’, from the film ‘Panam Padaithavan’, Sasikala wondered how some people (leaders in AIADMK) had forgotten the path they tread. ‘Naam Ondraaga Vendum; Kazhagam Vendraaga Vendum’ (We have to unite, the party has to win) was the slogan that Sasikala put forth, while concluding her speech.
Earlier, she hoisted the party flag and unveiled a commemorative plaque at MGR memorial on Arcot Road in T Nagar. Over the next couple of days, the schedule for Sasikala’s state-wide tour, to reach out to the AIADMK cadres, is likely to be released.
On Sunday, when Sasikala’s supporters presented her with a ‘golden sword’ and also gave her a new moniker ‘Puratchi Thai (revolutionary mother)’, (and also referred to as ‘Thyagathalaivi Chinnamma), a few leaders from AMMK, a party launched by her nephew T T V Dhinakaran, were present. But AMMK general secretary Dhinakaran himself was not in the city.
