'Good news will come': Sasikala hints at new political party ahead of Tamil Nadu polls

NEW DELHI: Former AIADMK leader and close aide of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, VK Sasikala, on Tuesday hinted at floating a new political party.Speaking at an event organised to mark Jayalalithaa’s birth anniversary, Sasikala said, “Today there is an event for Amma's birthday. We are conducting an event for her birthday in which good news will come.”Sasikala was expelled from the AIADMK after charges in the disproportionate assets case. She had served as the party’s Acting General Secretary. Earlier this month, Sasikala met her supporters in Chennai ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled this year.The 234-member Assembly will see a contest between the ruling alliance led by chief minister M K Stalin and the BJP-AIADMK alliance. Actor-turned-politician Vijay has also entered the political space with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which is likely to make the election a three-way contest.In the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK won 133 seats. The Congress secured 18 seats, PMK won five, VCK four, and others eight. The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance collectively won 159 seats. The NDA won 75 seats, with the AIADMK emerging as the largest party in the alliance with 66 seats.