E Madusudhanan expels VK Sasikala

Chennai: O. Panneerselvam's camp on Friday “removed” AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala and her two relatives from the party for “going against its principles and ideals”. In a statement, E. Madusudhanan, earlier removed as presidium chairman by Sasikala, said she had “violated” her promise to the party leader late Ms Jayalalithaa that she will not enter politics and that she had no inclination to be a part of the party or government.

Madusudanan also announced the “expulsion” of AIADMK deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran and S. Venkatesh, both relatives of Sasikala, from the party. The statement, which came a day after Sasikala loyalist Edappadi K. Palaniswami was sworn in as Chief Minister also asked cadres not to have any association with Sasikala and her family members.

Madusudhanan, who joined the Pannneerselvam camp last week, has been replaced with K. A. Sengottaiyan as the presidium chairman by Sasikala, a move rejected by the Panneerselvam camp. He was also removed from the party's primary membership, but insisted Sasikala had no authority to do so. Sasikala, serving a jail term in connection with the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case in Bengaluru, has also removed former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam from the party's primary membership in the wake of his revolt against her.
 He said Jayalalithaa had earlier (in 2011) expelled them from the party for “betraying” her. “Their re-induction, done without any authority, is being cancelled,” he said.

The two were allowed to join AIADMK on Wednesday by Sasikala, after six years of expulsion by her predecessor Jayalalithaa. Sasikala had announced that they were being allowed to join after they expressed regret for their acts in person and through letter and requested that they be allowed to join the AIADMK again.