‘Never aimed for power or position’, VK Sasikala Announces Retirement from Politics Ahead of TN Assembly Election

In an unexpected turn of events, VK Sasikala, who was expected to play a key role in Tamil Nadu politics ahead of the Assembly elections, on Wednesday night announced her retirement from politics. On Wednesday night she issued a statement saying that she was quitting politics and also claimed that she never aspired for power, post or authority.” In her statement, Sasikala said, “I Will always be grateful to the Tamil people and followers of Amma. I will always pray to the almighty and Amma for Amma’s rule to continue.” Further, she urged AIADMK cadres to stay united and defeat DMK in the upcoming polls.

In her letter, she asked for MGR-Jaya’s golden rule to continue in Tamil Nadu and requested Amma’s (Jayalalithaa’s) loyalists to ensure that evil force DMK doesn’t come to power. This announcement was shocking news not only for Tamilnadu politics but for the entire country.

This comes nearly a month after she was released from prison, at that time she had said that she would soon meet people and play an active role in politics.

This is not the first time Sasikala expressed her decision to keep away from politics. She was expelled from the AIADMK in 2011 by Jayalalithaa and within 100 days, Sasikala was taken back into the Poes Garden residence after she tendered an apology. In that letter, Sasikala said she was not interested in joining politics nor did she aspire for any party post but would remain a sister to Akka i.e. Jayalalitha.

KP Munusamy, the Deputy Coordinator of the AIADMK welcomed the decision of Sasikala. He said, “Though the decision to quit politics is the personal decision of Sasikala, she has expressed her wish for the establishment of Amma’s government even after the Assembly elections. She was with Amma for a long time. Now, Sasikala might have made this announcement out of her affection for Amma. This is absolutely a personal decision, we are happy about her decision.”

BJP State President Mutugun also appreciated Sasikala’s decision. L Murugan said that Sasikala has handed out a big disappointment to those who were dreaming to catch power in Tamil Nadu by creating confusion in politics by using her.

However, her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran, asserted that the AMMK led by him would continue its political journey by contesting the ensuing Assembly elections. Dhinakaran admitted that Sasikala’s decision came as a shock to him and his efforts to persuade her out of this decision failed.

But V.K Sasikala, co-walker Jayalalithaa, has taken retirement from poltics just after one month of her release from jail and one month ahead if Tamil Nadu Poltics “In her statement renewing her appeal to the cadre of Amma (Jayalalithaa), Sasikala requested them to act united in the ensuing Assembly elections to defeat the common political adversary – the DMK.

Sasikala was released from Bengaluru prison on January 27 and she arrived in Chennai on February 9. After that, she remained silent for over three weeks but leaders of many organisations, political parties and individuals called on her. Nearly after three weeks, her camp office at T Nagar started issuing statements describing her as Chinnamma and as general secretary of the AIADMK.