AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan on Saturday claimed that former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's aide Sasikala is not a member of his party as she belongs to TTV Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).
He even added that Sasikala does not have rights to revive the AIADMK.
This comes days after the purported audio leak of a phone conversation between expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala and one of the party cadres where she is heard talking about returning to politics.
"Sasikala is not a member of our party. She belongs to TTV Dhinakaran's group. She has no locus standi to say that she is going to revive AIADMK. Whoever is talking to Sasikala, they do not belong to AIADMK," Ponnaiyan said.
Earlier, on May 30, Sasikala had dropped enough hints of returning to active politics after the COVID-19 pandemic got over. In an audio clip of a phone conversation between Sasikala and one of the party cadres, which has gone viral on social media, the leader was heard confirming her plans of her return into politics.
This followed after AIADMK lost the power in Tamil Nadu elections to DMK.
The phone call has been verified by Janarthanan, the personal assistant for AMMK General Secretary TTV Dinakaran.
"Do not worry, I will surely sort out the party things. All be brave ok. Once the corona pandemic ends, I will come," Sasikala was heard telling the cadre during the phone call.
"We will be behind you Amma," the cadre was heard replying to her.
Earlier in March, the Expelled AIADMK leader had announced her retirement from politics and issued a statement saying that she will 'set herself apart from politics'.
The former aide of Jayalalithaa, then in her statement had said "I set myself apart from politics and pray for the golden rule of my Goddess Akka (Jayalalithaa). I will continue to pray for her vision always."
Sasikala had been staying in Chennai's T Nagar area after returning to the city in February following the completion of her four-year prison sentence in a disproportionate assets case.
After the demise of Jayalalithaa in December 2016, Sasikala was elected General Secretary of the AIADMK. She had handed over the control of the party to nephew T. T. V. Dhinakaran after being convicted in the disproportionate assets case in February 2017.
Edappadi Palaniswami was made Chief Minister with her backing but Sasikala was removed after a rival faction led by O Panneerselvam, who had rebelled against Sasikala merged with the Palaniswami faction. Both Sasikala and Dhinakaran were removed in September 2017.
( With inputs from ANI )
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