Today expelled AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala formally announced the launch of her new political party in a move which has echoed in the political wings of Tamil Nadu. Ending years of post-prison gossip and exile sidelining by the AIADMK leadership, J. Jayalalithaa's close aide presented an invigorating new party flag this morning, symbolizing her plan to restore the "true legacy" of the Dravidian movement ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections.
At the unveiling ceremony, which took place at her home in T. Nagar, Chennai, she had packed a hall full of supporters, as well as a few disgruntled former AIADMK functionaries. The new flag, which features the colors of the Dravidian movement black and red and the central icon of the late M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa alluding to such sentiment—no less than a clear bid to portray her new outfit as the rightful successor to the AIADMK’s golden age.
A challenge against the status quo. Sasikala’s arrival in the 2026 scramble further complicates an extremely crowded political environment. As the ruling DMK tries to cling onto power and the AIADMK, under the heel of Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), seeks to solidify the opposition vote, Sasikala’s new party threatens splitting the essential Thevar community vote pool and alienating AIADMK loyalists who still support her position as Jayalalithaa’s confidante.
In the speech, Sasikala stressed "unity" and "restoration", accusing the current leadership of AIADMK of betraying the values of "Amma" (Jayalalithaa). “I have waited as long as I can for the family to be reunited, but the ego of a few has put the party's future at risk. I am stepping out today not for power, but to protect the orphaned cadres," she declared in the presence of a big crowd.
Strategic Effects for 2026. Sasikala is widely viewed by political analysts as a strategically driven strike to drive the organization toward either a merger or coalition. Taking her own platform, she has a formal seat at the negotiating table (especially with her nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran’s AMMK). The two sides coming together could threaten to form a powerful “third force” or “spoiler” that substantially erodes the AIADMK’s seat count in Tamil Nadu’s south and delta districts.
The Road Ahead: A Struggle for the "Two Leaves" Spirit. Sasikala’s rhetoric is focused solely on grassroots workers, she cannot legally claim the 'Two Leaves' symbol per se, but her plan includes a statewide tour — or "Amma Padayatra" — to drum up support ahead of election news.
Pre-election, Sasikala, now one step beyond one of the most volatile electoral cycles in years, is once again trapped in the spotlight as it gears up to a much more unpredictable cycle in Tamil Nadu, and its “Chinnamma” self is once again at the center of the storm. Whether she can convert nostalgia into votes remains to be seen, but her return guarantees that the fight over Jayalalithaa’s political legacy is far from over.
