Sasikala vows to 'definitely return to AIADMK' in another leaked tape ahead of party meet

"I will definitely come back," vows ex-AIAIDMK general secretary VK Sasikala in yet another alleged conversation with a party cadre. The alleged conversation between Sasikala and a party cadre - LKMB Vasu released on Saturday, once again has Saiskala vowing that she will not desert the party, months after she 'quit politics'. In the alleged conversation, Sasikala is heard saying she 'cannot bear the cadres' cries' as Vasu laments that AIADMK has won no seats in key districts, praying her to 'restore Amma's rule'. This is the fifth such tape Sasikala has allegedly released, fanning rumours of her political return.

Sasikala: 'I will definitely come back'

Here is the alleged conversation

Vasu: "Only ministers, district secretaries, MLAs are important for the party in Edapadi era. You must come back, Chinamma."

Sasikala: "Cadres are only important for the party. This is the tradition of our party. Don't worry Vasu, I will definitely come. I can't bear the cries of the party workers. Soon I will meet everyone."

Vasu: "We won no seats in Chennai, Chengalpettu, Kanchipuram, Trichy, Thanjavur. You only have to come back and establish Amma's golden rule."

Sasikala: "I will not leave the party just like this, neither will I leave the workers like this. The way Amma served the people via party, I will revive it back that way. I have been with Amma throughout. I will meet all soon."

AIADMK calls for meeting amid tape leaks

Faced by multiple leaked audios of former Jayalalithaa aide Sasikala's purported conversations with its cadre, the AIADMK has called for a meeting with its MLAs at the party headquarters on Monday. Moreover, AIADMK will also finalise the Deputy Leader of Opposition (LoP) and the party's whip alongside deliberating on the leaked audio tapes, after ex-Deputy CM O Panneerselvam (OPS) stormed out of the last meeting where ex-CM E Palaniswami (EPS) was voted as LoP. Since then, OPS has softened his stance towards Sasikala, deliberating a re-entry while EPS has denied any possible return of Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran.

In March, a month after she was released from prison, Sasikala quit politics urging the AIADMK cadre to unite ahead of the polls and fight the DMK to 'continue Amma's AIADMK rule in Tamil Nadu for 100 years. Thanking the cadres for the love they showered on her, she announced that she will quit politics and will always pray to Amma and God to keep her golden rule alive. DMK managed to trump AIADMK, denying AIADMK a 3rd consecutive term in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu polls.

The AIADMK factions - split & merger

In 2016, after the demise of then-CM J Jayalalitha, her close aide Sasikala had taken over as general secretary but was later convicted and arrested in the disproportionate assets case. O Pannerselvam (OPS) - the then-deputy CM, quit as caretaker CM to make way for Sasikala. With his exit, EPS, who was chosen by Sasikala, was made the CM, which led to the party being split in the middle - EPS camp and OPS camp. Amid the impasse, the BJP had intervened to allow EPS to continue as CM and made OPS the party's Convenor, Deputy CM, naming the late Jayalalitha as the party's 'eternal' General Secretary. The convicted Sasikala was then thrown out of the party. Sasikala was released from Bengaluru prison on January 27, after completing her 4-year jail stint and she returned to Chennai.