Chennai: AIADMK coordinator and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s observation about ‘forgiving those who repent their past actions’ triggered talks on reconciliation with former interim general secretary V K Sasikala.
However, former Minister and the party’s organisation secretary D Jayakumar cleared the air by saying the remarks on ‘forgiving’ would not be applicable to her.
Presiding over a Christmas event here, Panneerselvam, quoting the preaching of Jesus Christ, said if those who commit wrongs reform and return, accepting them back is leadership quality. However, he did not specifically name anyone. The party’s joint coordinator and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was also present on the dais.
Apparently echoing the stand of Palaniswami camp, Jayakumar ruled out any scope for taking Sasikala, the former aide of late party supremo J Jayalalithaa, back into the party. He dubbed her as a ‘rejected,’ and ‘failed,’ force.
Sasikala was eased out of the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s death. Once Jayalalithaa’s heir apparent, Sasikala, was jailed for four years over a disproportionate assets case. As part of a merger between the two AIADMK factions, she was expelled as the party’s general secretary in August 2017 while she was serving her sentence. She was released from prison in January this year.