VK Sasikala Will Decide Party's Stand On Ram Nath Kovind, Says TTV Dhinakaran

AIADMK (Amma) General Secretary VK Sasikala will decide tomorrow the party's stand on the NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, party leader TTV Dhinakaran said today after meeting her in jail in Bangalore. Emerging from the prison after meeting Sasikala, also his aunt, Mr Dhinakaran told reporters, "It will be decided by party's General Secretary Sasikala."

On whether the party will support Mr Kovind, he said, "That also will be decided by general secretary."

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai also earlier met Sasikala, lodged at Parapanna Agrahara Prison since her conviction in February in a disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives, VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi.

Mr Thambidurai first met Sasikala and later in the day, Mr Dhinakaran met her, Director General of Prisons HN Satyanarayana Rao said. Mr Dhinakaran said it was a family meeting and there was no political discussion.

"Today I came here to meet my aunt Sasikala. There was no political discussion; it was only a family meeting," he said.

On whether the DMK was destabilising the Tamil Nadu government by dividing the AIADMK, Mr Dhinakaran said, "In politics, our enemies will try to destabilise our government and divide our party. It is natural. They will try to do that, but we will fend off their actions and protect our party."

Mr Thambidurai termed the meeting as a courtesy call and denied any division in the party. "I met madam Chinamma. It was a courtesy call. Nothing special in that. Tamil Nadu is doing very well. Party stands united. There is no division. We all follow Amma's (J Jayalalithaa) legacy. Also, this is centenary year celebrations of MGR," he said. MGR or MG Ramachandran was the founder of the AIADMK.