V K Sasikala discharged from hospital, hints at political battle with AIADMK
Bengaluru, Feb 01: Expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was discharged from a hospital here on Sunday after recovering from COVID-19, days after she was set free by the prison officials on completion of her jail term in a corruption case, authorities said.
Sending a strong signal, Sasikala, a close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, travelled in a car that sported the AIADMK flag from the hospital, with the ruling party questioning the propriety of her action when she had been ousted from the party.
The AIADMK has time and again made it clear that the 66 -year old Sasikala would not be taken back and her release would not have any impact on the party, which is keen retain power in the assembly elections, expected in April-May.
It has already declared incumbent K Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate for the polls.
Sasikala was expelled from the party in September, 2017 along with her nephew TTV Dhinakaran and others by the general council of the combined AIADMK under the leadership of Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam after the two merged their respective factions.
On Sunday, the AIADMK in its twitter handle said the use of its flag by Sasikala was against the law and quoted senior party leader D Jayakumar.
"How Sasikala, who is not even a party member could use the party flag? This is against the law," Jayakumar, who is also the Fisheries Minister, said.
Defending Sasikala, Dhinakaran, who is the general secretary of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) floated by him in March, 2018 as an arrangement to retrieve the AIADMK, claimed "she (his aunt) is the general secretary of the AIADMK."
Cases relating to her so-called 'expulsion' and connected matters were pending before the court in Tamil Nadu, he told reporters, adding "I have already told you that legal fight will continue (to retrieve the AIADMK)."
The very purpose of floating the AMMK was to retrieve the AIADMK in a democratic way and 'Thiyaga Thalaivi Chinnamma' (leader of sacrifices, junior 'Amma') would continue legal efforts to win back the party, he said.
Dhinakaran said as per doctors' advice she would stay back here and take rest for a week before returning to Chennai.
AIADMK deputy coordinator K P Munusamy rejected Dhinakaran's claim that "Sasikala is the general secretary."
The party decided that late leader 'Amma' alone could be the permanent general secretary and reflecting this position, party rules were amended and a new party structure of coordinator, co-coordinator and deputy coordinators was brought in, he told reporters in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district.
"The opinion that Sasikala is the general secretary is expressed out of selfishness. It is not acceptable," he said.
He denounced Sasikala using the party flag in her car and said it was 'condemnable' since she was not with the party.
On AMMK's claim to 'retrieve' the AIADMK, Munusamy said Dhinakaran tried his best to 'capture' the party but could not succeed.
Such a claim was laughable and aimed at only protecting him, he said adding Dhinakaran was expelled from the party by Amma about a decade ago.
He asserted that there was absolutely no scope for a merger of AMMK with his party since Dhinakaran attempted to destroy the AIADMK and dislodge the government.
If he submitted a letter apologising for such activities, the party top leadership would take a decision on it, he said.
Political analyst Sumanth Raman tweeted "#Sasikala coming out of hospital in a car with an AIADMK flag on it seems to be a clear signal of her intentions. Game on."
Soon after she was discharged, Sasikala reached a resort near the scenic Nandi Hill at Devanahalli in North Bengaluru.
Sasikala was admitted to the Victoria Hospital after she tested positive for COVID-19 recently while under judicial custody.
Prison authorities here had formally released her on January 27 after she completed the four-year jail term in a Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case.
On the advice of doctors, she remained in the hospital and was discharged on Sunday after her latest test reports came negative for COVID-19, hospital officials said.
A huge crowd of her supporters greeted Sasikala as she came out of the hospital.
More than 300 police personnel were deployed in the area to ensure law and order, police said.
Sambasivan, one of her supporters from Hosur in the border district of Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, told PTI that this was like a festival for him.
Sasikala's release comes ahead of the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and the course of action taken by her would be keenly watched.
The Supreme Court sentenced her to four year simple imprisonment on February 14, 2017 at a time when she was set to take over as the Chief Minister subsequent to her election as the AIADMK legislature party leader.
After the sentence that also barred her from contesting elections for six years after completion of the term, she chose Palaniswami to be the chief minister.
Before coming here to serve the sentence, Sasikala had made a dramatic vow at the 'samadhi' of Jayalalithaa, though she did not openly declare what it was all about.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
