Expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa joins BJP
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com
Chennai:03.02.2020
AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Pushpa joined the BJP in the presence of party national secretary P Muralidhar Rao, incharge of Tamil Nadu, and former Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan in New Delhi on Sunday.
Even though she was expelled from the party in 2016 after an altercation with DMK Rajya Sabha MP Trichy Siva, Sasikala Pushpa remains an AIADMK MP as per Parliament records. While her present term in the Upper House ends on April 2, 2020, the AIADMK can still issue a notice for disqualifying her as per provisions of anti-defection law.
“While she was expelled from the party, AIADMK did not officially inform the Rajya Sabha chairman’s office, as the party then did not want its number of MPs in Parliament to go below 50. Even after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, her status continued to remain as party MP,” said a senior AIADMK partyman, seeking anonymity. “One has to see whether she will now sit along with BJP members or continue to occupy her seat among AIADMK Rajya Sabha MPs,” he said. In August 2016, former AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala Pushpa from the party saying she had “brought disrepute” to the organization. The MP had publicly slapped DMK MP Siva at the Delhi airport. She said Siva had criticized her leader Jayalalithaa. Two days later, however, she declared in the Rajya Sabha that her leader had slapped her and sought protection for herself. “Sasikala Pushpa should have joined the BJP almost 18 months ago, but the move was held back then. While AIADMK could still issue her a notice, with hardly two months to complete her term, it would matter little in terms of political gains,” the source added.
But, BJP sees big political gains by inducting her into the party now. “Sasikala Pushpa, who was a former Mayor of Tuticorin and former secretary of AIADMK women’s wing, will strengthen BJP in the southern part of Tamil Nadu,” said Pon Radhakrishnan, welcoming her into the BJP.
“Sasikala Pushpa is an aggressive and vocal leader from Tamil Nadu, where BJP is gaining strength day by day and several leaders from other parties are joining the party. We have an ideological and political fight with the DMK and Congress in Tamil Nadu. Sasikala Pushpa joining the BJP will strengthen the party and its ability to fight the next assembly elections in Tamil Nadu,” Rao said. "Prime Minister Modiji is a global leader and I have been inspired by his leadership, as well as the leadership of Amit Shahji. BJP president Naddaji has given me this opportunity to join the BJP, which is having a great future in Tamil Nadu. In 2021, BJP will come to power in Tamil Nadu and I will work hard for the same," Sasikala Pushpa told TOI. "Schemes for women empowerment, the eradication of fishermen issue, the announcement of Kulasekarapattinam, which comes in my district, to soon become a rocket launch pad and initiatives of Pon Radhakrishanji that resulted in the flow of Rs 28,000 crore worth of investments in southern districts of Tamil Nadu have all made me join the party," she added, while declining to comment on her status as an AIADMK MP.
NEW FRIENDS: Sasikala Pushpa joins the BJP in presence of BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao (C) and senior BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan in New Delhi on Sunday
D.Govardan@timesgroup.com
Chennai:03.02.2020
AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Pushpa joined the BJP in the presence of party national secretary P Muralidhar Rao, incharge of Tamil Nadu, and former Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan in New Delhi on Sunday.
Even though she was expelled from the party in 2016 after an altercation with DMK Rajya Sabha MP Trichy Siva, Sasikala Pushpa remains an AIADMK MP as per Parliament records. While her present term in the Upper House ends on April 2, 2020, the AIADMK can still issue a notice for disqualifying her as per provisions of anti-defection law.
“While she was expelled from the party, AIADMK did not officially inform the Rajya Sabha chairman’s office, as the party then did not want its number of MPs in Parliament to go below 50. Even after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, her status continued to remain as party MP,” said a senior AIADMK partyman, seeking anonymity. “One has to see whether she will now sit along with BJP members or continue to occupy her seat among AIADMK Rajya Sabha MPs,” he said. In August 2016, former AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala Pushpa from the party saying she had “brought disrepute” to the organization. The MP had publicly slapped DMK MP Siva at the Delhi airport. She said Siva had criticized her leader Jayalalithaa. Two days later, however, she declared in the Rajya Sabha that her leader had slapped her and sought protection for herself. “Sasikala Pushpa should have joined the BJP almost 18 months ago, but the move was held back then. While AIADMK could still issue her a notice, with hardly two months to complete her term, it would matter little in terms of political gains,” the source added.
But, BJP sees big political gains by inducting her into the party now. “Sasikala Pushpa, who was a former Mayor of Tuticorin and former secretary of AIADMK women’s wing, will strengthen BJP in the southern part of Tamil Nadu,” said Pon Radhakrishnan, welcoming her into the BJP.
“Sasikala Pushpa is an aggressive and vocal leader from Tamil Nadu, where BJP is gaining strength day by day and several leaders from other parties are joining the party. We have an ideological and political fight with the DMK and Congress in Tamil Nadu. Sasikala Pushpa joining the BJP will strengthen the party and its ability to fight the next assembly elections in Tamil Nadu,” Rao said. "Prime Minister Modiji is a global leader and I have been inspired by his leadership, as well as the leadership of Amit Shahji. BJP president Naddaji has given me this opportunity to join the BJP, which is having a great future in Tamil Nadu. In 2021, BJP will come to power in Tamil Nadu and I will work hard for the same," Sasikala Pushpa told TOI. "Schemes for women empowerment, the eradication of fishermen issue, the announcement of Kulasekarapattinam, which comes in my district, to soon become a rocket launch pad and initiatives of Pon Radhakrishanji that resulted in the flow of Rs 28,000 crore worth of investments in southern districts of Tamil Nadu have all made me join the party," she added, while declining to comment on her status as an AIADMK MP.
NEW FRIENDS: Sasikala Pushpa joins the BJP in presence of BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao (C) and senior BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan in New Delhi on Sunday
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