VK Sasikala, on Wednesday evening, drove up to a prison in Bengaluru where she has been sentenced to four years in prison for corruption in a case that involves J Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister who died in December and was the leader of Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, the AIADMK.
Wearing a brown sari, the 61-year-old left Chennai in the morning after stopping to pay tribute at Ms Jayalalithaa’s memorial, where, her party said, she took “a mighty vow” to triumph over the “conspiracy and back-stabbing” that has led the outfit to break into two unequal factions.
She is now a prisoner at the same jail where Ms Jayalalithaa and she were kept for about three weeks in 2014 when they were first convicted for corruption.
Sources said Ms Sasikala has asked for a cell that comes with a table and a fan, a couple of non-vegetarian meals every week, a space to meditate, and guaranteed round-the-clock medical assistance if sought.
On Tuesday evening, Ms Sasikala broke down as she addressed about 120 legislators at a resort in Chennai which, as of about five days ago, has turned into a party outpost. “They can imprison me, but they cannot imprison my care for you,” she told them, adding, “wherever I am, I will be with the party.”
As Ms Sasikala starts her jail sentence, her party awaits the Governor’s decision on whether the man she has chosen as proxy -Mr Palanisamy- will be asked to take oath and then a trust vote.
Both he and Mr Panneerselvam have been asked to meet the Governor tonight. Ms Sasikala, in Bengaluru, will start her term as Prisoner number 9234.
Source : NDTV
- Agencies
