In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, V.K. Sasikala announced on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, that she will launch a new political party. The formal name of the party is expected to be revealed soon.
Sasikala unveiled the party's flag during a meeting with her supporters in Chennai, marking what she described as a fresh beginning in state politics.
Addressing party workers, she said the new outfit would be guided by the principles of late Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa and M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), as well as Dravidian stalwart C.N. Annadurai.
"We will start a new party that follows the ideals of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Anna," she said. "If I continue to remain silent as I have for the past nine years, it would not be justice to the people of Tamil Nadu."
Sasikala also aimed at the AIADMK leadership, alleging that the party has been in decline. She questioned how long its leaders could continue to deny electoral setbacks, noting that the party had suffered repeated defeats in recent years. In a direct criticism of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, she claimed he showed little concern for party cadres.
"AIADMK has lost over ten times. How long will they deny it?" she asked, adding that the people of Tamil Nadu have not forgotten the welfare measures implemented during Jayalalithaa's tenure.
Sasikala's political journey has been marked by controversy. She was convicted in a disproportionate assets case in which Jayalalithaa was also named and served four years in prison. Following her release, she was barred from contesting elections until 2027.
After Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, Sasikala briefly assumed a central role in AIADMK before facing internal resistance and legal troubles. Party leaders had previously distanced themselves from her, and she claimed that efforts were made to sideline her after her release.
Her latest move has already drawn sharp reactions. AMMK General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran, her nephew, mocked the announcement, comparing it to "instant sambar and instant idli." He asserted that the formation of a new party would not impact the National Democratic Alliance's prospects in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
While the official name of Sasikala's new party remains under wraps, political observers believe it could carry a strong symbolic connection to Jayalalithaa's legacy, given her repeated emphasis on "Amma" and the Dravidian icons she invoked.
With the state heading toward elections, Sasikala's re-entry into active politics is set to reshape conversations within the AIADMK camp and beyond. Whether her new political venture can revive the support base that once rallied behind Jayalalithaa remains to be seen.
