No force can separate me from AIADMK: Sasikala post SC verdict

Maintaining a strong front despite being convicted in the disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court, AIADMK general secretary V. K. Sasikala on Tuesday said that no "force" can separate her from the party.

"You must remain united, no matter where I am caged. No force can separate me from the AIADMK, wherever I may be I will always be thinking about the party," an emotional Sasikala said.

Taking a dig at her rival and acting Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Sasikala exuded confidence stating that the former has the support of some AIADMK cadres whereas she has the backing of the party legislators.

"Your support is absolutely necessary. When I think that I have the support of MLAs I feel relived, as the detractors have only the support of some party members," she said.

Sasikala was also confident of the fact that the invitation to form the government in the state would be given to their faction.

"This (DA) case was filed by our enemy Karunanidhi, I will handle this. I am happy that Amma's name was not dragged. You must make sure that the DMK's presence is vanished in the state," she said.

Earlier today, Supreme Court convicted Sasikala in connection with a 19-year old disproportionate assets case.

A bench of Justices PC Ghose and AK Roy directed them to surrender forthwith to the trial court in Bengaluru and serve the remaining part of the four-year-jail term.

Sasikala cannot contest the elections for the next 10 years. The bench, however, abated the appeal proceedings against Jayalalithaa owing to her death.

The verdict comes in the backdrop of the ongoing power struggle within the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu - between Sasikala and the incumbent Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

The pending disproportionate assets case that posed a legal hurdle against Sasikala's taking over as the chief minister dates back to 1996. Late J. Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and her two relatives, Ilavarasi and Sudhagaran, were convicted in the case that alleged that the former chief minister owned assets far exceeding her known sources of income.