V. K. Sasikala
Sasikala Natrajan | |
|---|---|
| Aide to Tamil Nadu CM J.Jayalalitha | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 January 1957 Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Political party | AIADMK |
| Spouse | M. Natrajan |
| Profession | Politician |
Sasikala Natarajan (born 1957) is an confidante of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) politician and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa. During Jayalalithaa's three tenures as Chief Minister, Sasikala is alleged to have wielded absolute power behind the scenes. She was arrested along with Jayalalithaa as on 7 December 1996 and was remanded to judicial custody for 30 days in connection with the Colour TV scam.[1]
Early life
Sasikala was born in Mannargudi in the then Tanjore district in a Kallar family. After initial schooling, she dropped out. Sasikala married R. Natarajan, a public relations officer in the Tamil Nadu government. Her husband R. Natarajan was working as a Public Relations officer in Tamil Nadu government on temporary basis. He was working closely with the then District Collector of Cuddalore V S Chandralekha, IAS, who in turn was very close to the then Tamil Nadu CM M G Ramachandran.[2]
Meeting with Jayalalithaa
Natarajan lost his job in 1976 due to the Indian Emergency. Denied its main source of income, the family was forced to sell or pause jells. At this junction, Natarajan requested V. S. Chandralekha, who was then the District Collector of South Arcot, to introduce his wife Sasikala to Jayalalithaa, who was then the Propaganda Secretary of the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Sasikala began shooting all the marriages and the functions for Jayalalithaa and gradually then became a very close friend of Jaylalithaa.So.[3] Sasikala was sentenced along with Jayalalitha in TANSI land acquisition case along with Jayalalitha in a trial court to two years rigorous imprisonment and was later relieved by the Madras High Court.
Expulsion from AIADMK
On 19 December 2011, Jayalalithaa expelled her long-time close aide Sasikala Natarajan and 13 others including Sasikala's husband Natarajan and their relatives, including T T V Dinakaran and Jayalalithaa's disowned foster son V N Sudhakaran and relieved them from the AIADMK. Sasikala has been a close confidante of Jayalalithaa for several years now. Most of the party members have welcomed her decision.[4][5][6]
Re-admission into AIADMK
Sasikala was admitted back into the party on 31 March when she vowed to sever her ties with all her relatives and to serve with no public ambitions. In a letter dated 28 March which was sent to Jayalalithaa, she was unaware of the running a parallel government by her relatives until she was expelled.[7][8]
Disproportionate asset case
Sasikala along with Jayalalithaa and two others was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment by a special court in Bangalore on 27 September 2014. Along with imprisonment, they also asked to pay fine of Rs.100 Crores for Jayalalithaa and Rs.10 Crores for Sasikala and others.
References
- ^ Menon, Amarnath K.; G.C., Shekar (31 December 1998). "Booty queen". India Today. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ^ Singh, Raj. "The complete story of Jayalalithaa and Sasikala Natarajan". indiatvnews.com. India TV News. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ Warrier, Shobha (July 12, 1996). "The many homes of Sasikala Natarajan". Rediff.
- ^ "Jaya expels close aide Sasikala, husband from AIADMK". IndianExpress. December 19, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
- ^ Warrier, Shobha (22 December 2011). "'I don't know for how many days Sasikala's expulsion will last'". Rediff.
- ^ Shekhar, G. C. (December 20, 2011). "Jaya throws out Sasikala lock, stock & family". The Telegraph.
- ^ http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/sasikala-back-at-poes-garden/378531.html
- ^ http://kaverikkarai.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/jayalalithaa-must-be-more-cautious-with-sasikala-after-re-admitting-her-in-aiadmk/