Sasikala Pushpa’s ‘lawyer’ injured in ruckus outside AIADMK office

AIADMK, the party headquarters in Chennai witnessed a ruckus outside on Wednesday where a man sustained injuries and was rescued by the police personnel present at the scene.

Senior party leader and filmstar Anandraj quit the party in an apparent fallout with V.K. Sasikala, the confidante of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. Anandaraj said he had no personal enmity with anyone in the AIADMK but regretted the ‘misuse’ of Jayalalithaa’s name by some in the party and the government.

“I don’t have any personal enmity with anyone. I was not invited for tomorrow’s General Council. Let anybody be elected as General Secretary. I have sent my resignation letter, hope they accept it,” he told reporters.

On the violence outside the AIADMK headquarters, the party spokesperson C. R. Saraswathy blamed expelled Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Pushpa for being behind the incident, in which a man, believed to be Ms. Pushpa’s lawyer, was “thrashed” by a group of alleged AIADMK supporters, which left him bleeding.

AIADMK sources said that its workers started gathering at the party headquarters after information started going around that Sasikala Pushpa, earlier expelled by Ms. Jayalalithaa for anti-party activities, might come there ahead of the General Council meeting scheduled for Thursday to seek an invitation to it. It was felt that she might even contest for the top post.

Ms. Pushpa was reportedly questioning V.K. Sasikala’s eligibility for becoming the new general secretary, which a section of the party workers had been demanding.

“Sasikala Pushpa wants to create a law and order problem ahead of the general council. Let her resign first as MP as it was Amma who made her the Rajya Sabha member,” Ms. Saraswathy said.

She alleged Ms.Pushpa’s injured “lawyer” was deliberately staying put at the party headquarters despite being asked to leave and that it had been done to “create a problem.”

“She (Pushpa) is no more in AIADMK. In the general council, only members are allowed and not even special guests are invited,” she said.

Sasikala Puspha could not be reached for her comments.

SOURCE: PTI