Sasikala heads for Jaya’s residence

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has charged that the acquisition of assets by the Sasikala family running to several crore rupees was a result of joint operations, using the then chief minister’s residence as a base.

In a bid to stave off criticism from political opponents and the media about the activities of the Sasikala family and its grip over the State, Jayalalitha chose to come out with a statement on August 27 last year that she was distancing herself from Sasikala.

Jayalalitha then said that thousands of partymen whom she had met in the weeks prior to this decision were unanimous that the AIADMK suffered an unprecedented defeat in the 1996 polls largely due to the activities of the Sasikala family. Some persons close to her might have made some mistakes, she had stated last year.

She had then made it clear that most of the reports about Sasikala in the media were false, and yet Sasikala would not stay in her house any longer as she wished to bow to the demands of the partymen.

Jayalalitha had also announced then that she had disowned her foster son V N Sudhagaran, Sasikala’s nephew, whose multi-crore marriage turned out to be a major factor for Jayalalitha to become unpopular, ending in a debacle for the AIADMK and her own loss in the Bargur Assembly constituency.

Sasikala, who was taken into custody nearly 11 months ago, and was in central prison in connection with several corruption cases, had obtained bail in a few cases. Later, on ground of ill-health, she was provided treatment at the government general hospital here.

Shortly after a visit to the hospital, Jayalalitha declared that she would stand by her friend, and that “no force on earth could separate them”. “How can I severe a relationship with a friend when the friendship dates back to several years?”, she had asked.

On a request for specialised treatment, Sasikala was allowed to move to the Apollo Hospital here, and is being treated since several months.

In the last few days, after bail was granted to Sasikala, there has been intense speculation in political circles over the plans of the two friends.

S Thirunavukkarasu, general secretary of the rival AIADMK group, had disclosed a few days ago that Jayalalitha had decided on bringing Sasikala back to her residence. Although Sasikala did not return to the residence on the precise day mentioned by Thirunavukkarasu, she did make her way back to the Poes Garden house a couple of days later.

Thirunavukkarasu believes that Sasikala’s return to Jayalalitha’s residence would not be relished by AIADMK workers, and the few leaders who were still with Jayalalitha would quit and join his group out of disgust.