VK Sasikala calls for reunification of AIADMK to make it a fighting force in Tamil Nadu

Sasikala said the party leaders and workers who are trying to prevent her entry into the AIADMK were indirectly supporting the DMK, said an IANS report. The estranged former interim general secretary of AIADMK expressed confidence in solving all the issues plaguing the party.

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Chennai:  Amid the ongoing war of words between AIADMK and BJP in Tamil Nadu, VK Sasikala, the estranged former interim general secretary of AIADMK, on Monday (June 6) called for the reunification of the party to make it a fighting force in the state. 

In a statement, Sasikala said that the party leaders and workers who are trying to prevent her entry into the AIADMK were indirectly supporting the DMK, said an IANS report. The estranged former interim general secretary of AIADMK expressed confidence in solving all the issues plaguing the party. 

A section of the party leaders led by Edappadi K Palaniswami is against her entry to the party fold, while O Panneerselvam-led faction of the AIADMK is supporting Sasikala`s return. Notably, there is stringent opposition from second-rung leaders led by Jayakumar and CVe Shanmugham. 

Another factor that necessitates unity in the AIADMK is said to be its recent fallout with its ally BJP leading to leaders from each side firing salvos against the other. 
BJP leader Nainar Nagendran MLA reportedly invited Sasikala to the fold of the saffron party. 

Sources in the Sasikala camp told IANS that she is not interested in directly joining the BJP, but wants to head the AIADMK.

With the opposition politics in Tamil Nadu turning murkier by the day with BJP and AIADMK taking on each other, Sasikala is trying to emerge into a major force in the AIADMK politics.

War of words between AIADMK, BJP continues 

A war of words between the AIADMK and the BJP continues in Tamil Nadu despite being allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). AIADMK leader K Palaniswami recently lashed out against BJP Tamil Nadu unit`s vice president, S Duraiswamy, for saying that it was the four BJP MLAs who were more vocal in the Legislative Assembly than the AIADMK legislators.

This is in continuation to the spat unleashed by senior AIADMK leader C Ponnayian, who said that the BJP was trying to dislodge the party and grow on its own in-state. The AIADMK also said that the BJP doesn`t have Dravidian credentials.

"The AIADMK is functioning extremely well and we don`t need advice from Duraiswamy. We know how our legislators are functioning in the house. I have been in the AIADMK since 1974 and it is 48 years since I am in the party. Our workers are with the AIADMK for the past several years and continued in the party, not like him who has jumped parties," IANS quoted Palaniswami as saying.

The statement of the senior leader is a clear indicator that all is not well in the relationship between the BJP and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. 

In the last Urban local body elections, the BJP had contested alone. BJP legislative party leader, Nainar Nagendran also came out against the AIADMK after Ponnayian`s remarks. 

the BJP leader had welcomed the estranged interim general secretary of the AIADMK, VK Sasikalam, into the national party. The BJP leader's views apprantly tried to further antagonize the AIADMK as Sasikala is being totally opposed by a section of the party`s leadership led by Palaniswami.

(With IANS Inputs)