By the Editor: Siddharth Sehgal

I sometimes wonder why sometimes people act in ways that defies all logic. VK Sasikala with her whims and theatricality is beyond any understanding. Yes, her motivation is power and the money that comes with it but as far as her political math goes, it’s solely based on rallying her cause in the name of now deceased Jayalalitha and luring party members with the money she made with Amma but thanks to some bad decisions, ill luck and circumstances she lost most if not completely, at least Mallya got to run away with bags full of cash but she isn’t going anywhere. I doubt she can pull off a comeback like Jayalalithaa.

Tamilnadu has a peculiar history of politics unlike anywhere in India. Whatever the reason but it still surprises people all over the country, the devotion with which party workers revere their leaders but “Chinamma” proved exception to the rule. She seemed to have everything going her way after Amma’s death but off course when you can have the whole party handed over to you in a silver platter why not think about Chief Ministership itself. But in her eagerness, she forgot that if she would have allowed OPS to continue and had enough patience to hear the verdict, she could have had a comfortable retirement and would still be able to fill in the family coffers with piles and piles of money. You’d say it’s still possible, after all she took back in all her nephews and nieces who were shown the door by late AIADMK chief but now with her in jail and Panniselvam trying to boost his support, her loyalists would have a very hard time keeping this house of cards in place and above all, with this much greed and corruption, Sisikala’s kinmen will give a very hard time to AIADMK’s rank and file.

But in all this political theater, vows for revenge and grave beating I am confident that this is the best time to be an AIADMK MLA, just imagine the crores you can rake in from this horse trade. Sasikala have everything to loose and OPS has everything to gain. No wonder none of the 129 MLA even thought about following their conscience that is, if they had one.  I’ve seen this pattern repeat time and again in our country’s politics. Whether it’s municipal elections, student union votes, Loksabha or Vidhansabha. It’s always cash that talks and matters.

EC commission did a commendable job in sending notice to Sasikala in regards to her willful appropriation of top party post in AIADMK but as far as trust motion goes I think Palinswamy will hold the battlefield for now but as time will pass and he gets the taste of power, he too will sooner or later try to sideline Sasikala. That’s how toxic power is. Indian politics has yet to see its Cincinnatus.