Ms Sasikala was released from jail in Bengaluru in January and was expected to challenge the control of the party and the post of Chief Minister.
VK Sasikala, the ousted general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and a close aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced on Wednesday that she will stay away from politics. The announcement came one month before the assembly elections of Tamil Nadu. Ms Sasikala who was released from jail in Bengaluru in January was expected to challenge the control of the party and the post of Chief Minister.
In a two-page statement that was released on Wednesday night, Ms Sasikala said, "I have never been after power or position even when Jaya was alive. Won't do that after she is dead. I am staying away from politics to ensure continuation of AIADMK's 'golden rule' in Tamil Nadu." She also urged the supporters of the AIADMK to work together and defeat the main opposition party, DMK. She added that the party cadre should work to keep Ms Jayalalithaa's legacy going.
The ruling party had, so far, ruled out allowing either Sasikala or her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran and his Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) into the fold. Earlier last week, Ms Sasikala had said that AIADMK and AMMK should contest the elections together.
After the death of Ms Jayalalithaa, Ms Sasikala became the party chief but she soon went to jail in a corruption case where she had to serve a sentence of four years. Before leaving for jail, she chose current Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami for the post of CM. He had unseated current Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, after he rebelled against Ms Sasikala's claim, to take over. However, in the absence of Ms Sasikala, both came together and got her removed from the post and the party. Tamil Nadu will go for polls in a single phase on April 6 with results due May 2.
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