AIADMK Joint Coordinator and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Sunday said that there was no scope for former interim General Secretary V.K. Sasikala being taken back into the party.
He made the comment at an interaction with media persons at Salem.
AIADMK Coordinator and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, interacting with media after deposing before the Arumughaswami Commission probing the circumstances leading to the death of party supremo J. Jayalalithaa, had said that he had high respects for Sasikala, and also fondly referred to her as ‘Chinnamma’.
His statement had sparked rumours in the AIADMK that some political developments were taking place behind the curtains for a possible reentry of Sasikala. However, Palansiwami has, for the time being, put an end to this with his unequivocal statement.
He also recalled that the resolutions adopted against her entry into the party by the district units of the AIADMK and the top leadership were announced by him and Panneerselvam.
However, sources in the Panneerselvam camp told IANS that Sasikala’s entry cannot be blocked by Palaniswami. “The party rout in its stronghold of south Tamil Nadu is due to the ire of the Thevar community to which both OPS and Sasikala belong and that community is pulling the strings for her reentry,” a source said.
The source also said that Palaniswami is also not on a strong wicket in his hometown Edappadi in Salem where also the party had faced a major rout in the urban local body polls.
(With inputs from IANS)