NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, SEP 18
The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Friday took stock of the political developments including the possible release of V K Sasikala from the Bengaluru prison in January 2021 and announced convening its executive committee meeting for a consultative process to chalk out strategy for the Assembly polls slated to be held next year.
Sasikala, aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa lodged in a Bengaluru prison upon conviction in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case, is likely to be released on January 27, 2021, provided she pays the court levied fine amount of Rs 10 crore.
The decision on holding the executive meeting was taken at a meeting of senior leaders of the AIADMK chaired by Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Co-coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami here on Friday evening at its headquarters in Chennai.
During the meet, which lasted for about one-and-a-half hours, the leaders discussed several issues including the party’s growth, alliance, and Sasikala’s release, the sources said.
“We discussed about her release too. Basically, today’s meeting was to deliberate on the measures to further strengthen the party and a strategy to face the Assembly election next year,” a senior leader, who did not want to be named, said.
தலைமைக் கழக அறிவிப்பு
சென்னை – இராயப்பேட்டை தலைமைக் கழகத்தில் வரும் 28.9.2020 அன்று கழக செயற்குழுக் கூட்டம் கழக அவைத்தலைவர் திரு.இ.மதுசூதனன் அவர்கள் தலைமையில் நடைபெறும். pic.twitter.com/uRfkzWiTz1
— O Panneerselvam (@OfficeOfOPS) September 18, 2020
He said it was vital to convene the party’s executive committee and general council meetings ahead of the election. “We are progressing on a development path. We discussed further bifurcating or trifurcating the districts in the AIADMK for administrative reasons,” he said. During the meeting, both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam discussed about strengthening the party with the district office-bearers.
Later, in a joint statement the two leaders announced convening the AIADMK executive committee meeting on September 28 at the party headquarters here.
The AIADMK, which stormed to power in the state in 2011 with a massive majority under Jayalalithaa’s leadership, retained power five years later and is eyeing a third term in 2021.
Sasikala’s possible release is also being debated in state political circles but the ruling party has said her walking out of the Parappana Agrahara in January 2021 will not make any difference to the AIADMK.
If Sasikala fails to pay the Rs 10 crore fine amount, she would have to spend another 13 months in the jail, according to RTI information obtained by an individual recently from prison authorities.
