R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI/BENGALURU, JAN 27
The political spectrum in Tamil Nadu may see a significant transition with the Sasikala factor as the close confidante of former Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa was released from the Bengaluru prison on Wednesday.
Though her return to politics is uncertain, her release will have an impact on the electorates’ mood towards the ruling AIADMK ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections due this year.
#Chinnamma will continue her treatment in Victoria hospital itself. #Sasikala #TNwelcomesசின்னம்மா #VKSasikala #ADMK #AMMK pic.twitter.com/Wzb1iFOJpe
— Gomathi Sivam (@GomatiSivam) January 27, 2021
Sasikala was freed from the Parappana Agrahara central jail after close to four years of imprisonment. She was convicted in a disproportionate assets case on February 14, 2017, and released after paying a Rs 10-crore fine, failing which her imprisonment would have been extended by 13 more months.
In the disproportionate assets case, Jayalalithaa was the first accused.
The formalities for her release were done at the state-run Victoria Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment for COVID-19 infection, which she had contracted a week ago, along with her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi.
“Yes, she has been formally released,” Parappana Agrahara Jail Superintendent V Sheshamurthy said.
According to hospital sources, prison officials sporting PPE kits completed the formalities inside the COVID-19 ward of the hospital. However, she would remain at the Victoria hospital for another three days as mandated under the COVID-19 protocol, though she is now asymptomatic and her symptoms have reduced.
“As per protocol, she will be discharged on 10th day (January 30) if she is asymptomatic and free for oxygen support for at least three days,” the hospital said in an official bulletin.
Former Jayalalithaa aide #Sasikala officially released from prison today, continues to be at Bengaluru's Victoria Hospital due to Covid-19
NDTV's Maya Sharma reports pic.twitter.com/oBetBE6vst
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
A large number of supporters of the 66-year-old close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa lined up outside the Victoria Hospital, raised slogans in her favour and distributed sweets in celebration. Independent legislator T T V Dhinakaran, Sasikala’s nephew and founder of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) visited the hospital after she was released by jail officials.
Sasikala was in prison since February 2017 along with Ilavarasi and late Jayalalithaa’s foster son V N Sudhakaran in connection with the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case. Sasikala was charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy with Jayalalithaa, with whom she was closely associated, and amassing wealth disproportionate to the known source of her income.
The September 27, 2014, order of the Special Court awarding imprisonment and fine of Rs 10 crore each, was upheld by the Supreme Court on February 14, 2017. Sasikala, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran had held huge properties in their names to the tune of crores of rupees from July 1991 to April 1996, though they did not have such a source of income.
While Sudhakaran was freed a month ago, Ilavarasi will be released in the first week of February.
Sasikala, who hails from Mannargudi near Thanjavur, wields a sizeable influence among the Thevar community, which dominates in the AIADMK.
With superstar Rajinikant’s sudden decision to withdraw from entering electoral politics with his new party, Sasikala’s renewed presence in Tamil Nadu politics may be the game-changer.
The central leadership of the BJP, an ally of the ruling AIADMK, has already begun chalking out a poll plan, banking on Sasikala’s help. However, the AIADMK leadership is mute on whether to accept Sasikala back into the party.
Sasikala, who was introduced to politics by Jayalalithaa in 1984 and the two were thick since was dismissed by political experts after chief minister Edappdi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam took over the party and ran the government almost stably for the past four years after Jayalalithaa’s death.
Recently, BJP state president L Ganesan released a statement on Friday urging the media not to sensationalise her health condition. “Everyone knows the friendship and loyalty between Jayalalalithaa and Sasikala are incomparable,” the BJP leader said.
“If anyone betrayed the AIADMK and its two leaves symbol, it would amount to an indirect betrayal of Jayalalithaa. Sasikala would be aware of it too. I wonder how people can assume she will do that (betrayal). So, let’s not be in a hurry to comment about her. Let us believe that good thing will happen,” he said in the press release.
