‘Will restore Amma’s rule’: Sasikala rakes up AIADMK unity debate; signals political comeback

NEW DELHI: Ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala on Friday reignited the debate over the party’s leadership, declaring that the AIADMK was not on the right track and needed urgent unity to take on the ruling DMK in the 2026 assembly polls.As per TV reports the ousted leader claimed that party must present a united face against the rivals. “If the party has to dethrone the MK Stalin-led DMK, it must present a united face instead of being entangled in factionalism,” Sasikala said, stressing that she would “restore Amma’s rule.”Her comments came just minutes after senior AIADMK leader and former minister K A Sengottaiyan openly backed her, urging party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) to “bring back” all those who had left the AIADMK and face the elections as a unified force.Sengottaiyan recalled that it was Sasikala herself who had once endorsed EPS as the party’s chief ministerial candidate.Issuing a warning, Sengottaiyan said, “If Palaniswami fails to initiate steps to bring about unity in the AIADMK in ten days, then we will unite all like-minded people and ensure the party gets strengthened.”This is not the first time Sasikala has questioned the party’s course. Just two weeks ago, she had indicated that AIADMK was adrift and hinted at her return to active politics. “You will see soon,” she had said, adding that only those with experience could resolve the party’s complications after the death of J Jayalalithaa.Sasikala also confirmed she had met ousted leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) recently, though she declined to reveal details of their discussions. “Everyone deserves respect,” she remarked.With Sengottaiyan, OPS, and TTV Dhinakaran all questioning EPS’s leadership, Sasikala’s renewed pitch for unity signals a brewing power struggle in Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party.(With agency inputs)