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V. K. Sasikala

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Sasikala Natarajan
General secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
In office
29 December 2016 (2016-12-29) – 12 September 2017[1]
Preceded byJ. Jayalalithaa
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born
Vivekanandan Krishnaveni Sasikala

(1954-08-18) 18 August 1954 (age 70)
Thiruthuraipoondi, Thiruvarur, Madras State
(present day Tamil Nadu), India
Spouse
M. Natarajan
​
​
(m. 1973; death 2018)​
Parents
  • Vivekanandan Saluvar
  • Krishnaveni
RelativesT. T. V. Dhinakaran
(Nephew)

Vivekanandan Krishnaveni Sasikala (born 18 August 1954), also known by her married name Sasikala Natarajan, is an Indian politician who served as the national president of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). She was a close aide of J. Jayalalithaa, the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who headed the AIADMK from 1989 until her death in 2016. After Jayalalithaa's death, the party's general council elected her as the secretary general of AIADMK. Before going to Parapana Agharaha Jail, V.K.Sasikala appointed Edappadi Palanisamy as Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. But Edappadi Palanisamy and few Ministers betrayed her and removed her from the post and expelled her from the party in September 2017.[2][3] After her expulsion she approached Chennai court over her removal as AIADMK General Secretary. This case is still pending for the Judgement [4]

Sasikala was backbone for former Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. On 14 February 2017, a two-bench Supreme Court jury pronounced her guilty and ordered her immediate arrest in a disproportionate-assets case, effectively ending her chief ministerial ambitions. She was released in January 2021, and announced that till Tamilnadu General Election 2021 she will be calm for the good for the AIADMK party, but as AIADMK lost this election with Edappadi Palanisamy as CM candidate, Sasikala was in pulled into the situation to start her second innings in the political journey.

Early life

Sasikala was born in a Tamil family from Chennai who later moved to Mannargudi.[5][6] Her marriage to M. Natarajan was presided over by DMK leader M. Karunanidhi.[7] Her husband, was a public relations officer in the Government of Tamil Nadu, who worked closely with the District Collector of Cuddalore, V. S. Chandralekha, who in turn was very close to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran. This helped Sasikala in gaining the friendship of Jayalalithaa and shaped her further life.[8]

Career

Meeting with Jayalalithaa

In the early 1980s, through V. S. Chandralekha, who was then the District Collector of South Arcot, and a friend of M.Natarajan, Sasikala gained acquaintance with Jayalalithaa, who was then the Propaganda Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Since Sasikala helped in video coverage of party meetings and distribution of policies of AIADMK through CD's, Sasikala and Jayalalithaa gradually became very close.[9]

Temporary expulsion from AIADMK

On 19 December 2011, Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala Natarajan and 13 others including Sasikala's husband M. Natarajan, T. T. V. Dhinakaran, their relatives, and Jayalalithaa's foster son V. N. Sudhakaran from the AIADMK.[10][11] This act of Jayalalithaa was considered a way to prove that she was not under the influence of Sasikala and her family. The matter was resolved by 31 March 2012, when Sasikala Natarajan was reinstated as a party member after issuing a written apology.[12]

General Secretary of AIADMK

In a meeting held on 29 December 2016 – the first meeting after Jayalalithaa's death on 5 December 2016 – the AIADMK general council appointed Sasikala as the party's general secretary.[13][14][15]

Chief Minister Elect of Tamil Nadu

On 5 February 2017, Sasikala was unanimously elected as the AIADMK Legislature Party Leader by a meeting of all the MLAs in the party.[16][17] Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao accepted the resignation of Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on 6 February 2017, and instructed him to continue to function as acting Chief Minister "until alternate arrangements are made". The Governor delayed announcing VK Sasikala as the new Chief Minister, waiting for the verdict of the disproportionate assets case on her. On February 14, 2017, VK Sasikala was convicted and sentenced to 4 years sentence in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Jail and gave her 24 hours to surrender. The governor, then rejected her claims to become Chief Minister. VK Sasikala then convened the party's MLA council in her capacity as the General Secretary. There, Mr. Edpappadi K. Palaniasamy was unanimously appointed as the new Chief Minister and he was sworn in the next day.[18]

Expulsion

On August 21, 2017, it was reported that the AIADMK faction loyal to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, had decided to merge with the faction of O. Panneerselvam, and expel Sasikala as the General Secretary as it was one of the key demands for the merger.[19] It was reported on August 28 that Sasikala had been expelled during a party meeting,[20] but this was later clarified to be not true. Among the resolutions passed, the AIADMK declared that Sasikala's appointment as general secretary was disputable and as such, T. T. V. Dhinakaran's appointment as deputy general secretary, as well as his decisions were cancelled. It also decided to take over Jaya TV and Dr. Namadhu MGR newspaper, conduct a meeting of the general council per requests of party workers, celebrate M. G. Ramachandran's birth centenary in a lavish manner and keep the party united.[21]

On September 12, the AIADMK general council decided to cancel Sasikala's appointment as interim general secretary and expelled her from the party, though officials appointed to party posts by her were allowed to continue discharging their functions. Instead, the late J. Jayalalithaa was named the eternal general secretary of AIADMK.[1]

Reentering in politics

The expulsion of Sasikala and her family led to the new party Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam in March 2018. T.T.V.Dhinakaran was appointed as the general secretary of that party.[22]

After being released from jail, Sasikala announced her intention to return to active politics in February 2021. On March 3 however, she announced her decision to quit politics. However, this action is sometimes interpreted as a deliberate act rather than a genuine farewell to the ambitions and beliefs that are impacting the events in Tamil Nadu [37]. Over the next few months, as the AIADMK lost the state elections, it began to step down in an attempt to gradually capture the AIADMK. The careful media campaign launched by his entourage, along with attempts to gain the trust of intellectuals such as Pulamaipithan or Karappu Maya Thevar, was initially targeted by party activists, according to analysts [38].The growing conflict between AIADMK co-leaders O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palanisamy was analyzed as one of the favorable factors for Sasikala to return to the AIADMK and regain control of the parent system [49]. The party's defeat in the 2021 Tamil municipal elections [50] exacerbated the party leadership crisis. O.Panneerselvam had already suggested in March 2021 that Sasikala and his allegiance should not be doubted. At the end of October, he said the return of his party identity card should not be a problem. However, a confusing situation prevails within the party. Not all signals and events show the strengthening of Sasikala's position. At the AIADMK executive committee meeting held in Chennai on December 1, 2021, it was decided to introduce changes in the status of the party. In practice Sasikala rejects leadership.They have strengthened the position of coordinators to head the committee since 2017, assuming that they will be jointly elected by party members and will retain all the powers previously held by the general secretary [52] On October 16, 2021,Sasikala visited Jayalalithaa's Memorial.At this time his channel Jaya TV Announces A New Nick Name 'Puratchi Thaai'(Revolution Mother).Before that channel and his supporters call as Thiyaga Thalaivi (sacrifice leader).The wearer has a long tradition in Tamil political life, citing similar honorary titles and benefits [53].The title chosen by Sasikala alongside MG.Ramachandran-J.Jayalalithaa [54]. The next day(October 17,2021) she goes to AIADMK Founder MG Ramachandran's Memorial Houses. There, he unveiled a board labeled AIADMK General Secretary [55]. These actions, of great symbolic value, were commented on in the context of the AIADMK anniversary celebrations.

Conviction

Main article: Disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa

On 14 February 2017, the Supre PS -tPS (O Pannerselvam-Edappdi Palaisamy)la and her co-accused — Ilavarasi (her sister-in-law) and V. N. Sudhakaran (her nephew) — guilty of conspiring, laundering and amassing illicit wealth worth about ₹66.44 crore (equivalent to ₹363 crore or US$44 million in 2023) in the 1990s in a criminal conspiracy with Jayalalithaa. The threeOas announced that he is planning a film covering Sasikala's early life and the things she did to gain entry into Tamil Nadu politics.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b "AIADMK sacks Sasikala, says Jaya is 'eternal general secretary'". Deccan Chronicle. 12 September 2017.
  2. ^ "AIADMK unanimously elects Sasikala as the party general secretary". New Indian Express. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Sasikala has accepted AIADMK general secretary post, Paneerselvam says". Julie Mariappan. The Times of India. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Sasikala holds legal discussions related to AIADMK general secretary case". Editor. DT Next. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  5. ^ "How Sasikala and 'Mannargudi mafia' strengthened clout in Tamil Nadu power play".
  6. ^ "The rise of Chinnamma". India Today. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  7. ^ Akash Bisht (6 December 2016). "Importance of being Sasikala: Will Jayalalithaa's confidante be her heir?". CatchNews.
  8. ^ Singh, Raj. "The complete story of Jayalalithaa and Sasikala Natarajan". indiatvnews.com. India TV News. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  9. ^ Warrier, Shobha (12 July 1996). "The many homes of Sasikala Natarajan". Rediff.
  10. ^ "Jaya expels close aide Sasikala, husband from AIADMK". IndianExpress. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  11. ^ Warrier, Shobha (22 December 2011). "'I don't know for how many days Sasikala's expulsion will last'". Rediff.
  12. ^ "Sasikala back at Poes Garden". The New Indian Express. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  13. ^ "V.K. Sasikala appointed as AIADMK general secretary". The Hindu. 29 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Spent 33 Years Looking After Amma: Sasikala's First Public Speech". The Quint. 31 December 2016.
  15. ^ "VK Sasikala Asked To Explain Her Appointment As General Secretary In AIADMK". NDTV.com. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  16. ^ Jesudasan, Dennis S. "Sasikala set to become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Sasikala Natarajan appointed as Legislature Party Leader, set to become Chief Minister".
  18. ^ "Governor accepts CMs resignation". Business Line. The Hindu.
  19. ^ "Sasikala to be expelled from AIADMK, OPS settles for deputy CM". The News Minute. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  20. ^ NARASIMHAN, T. E. (28 August 2017). "Ruling AIADMK expels Sasikala & Dhinakaran, plans to retrieve Jaya TV". Business Standard India.
  21. ^ Madhav, Pramodh (28 August 2017). "Sasikala still not expelled after meeting of merged AIADMK factions". India Today.
  22. ^ "Sasikala will be General Secretary, I will be Deputy General Secretary of AMMK, says TTV Dhinakaran,she was looted the general public fund". India Today.
  23. ^ "With VK Sasikala in jail, Ram Gopal Varma unveils the poster of his next film, Sashikala". FirstPost.
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