Sellur Raju hails Sasikala, Dhinakaran team welcomes remarks

Creating a fresh controversy, Tamil Nadu minister Sellur K Raju on Sunday praised deposed party chief V K Sasikala saying she had played a key role in ensuring continuance of the AIADMK government.

Raju made the comments at a time when Sasikala, serving a four-year term in a Bengaluru prison in a disproportionate assets case, has obtained five-day emergency parole and is staying in Chennai in view of the hospitalisation of her husband M Natarajan.

"According to me, Chinnamma (as Sasikala is often called) had worked hard for the betterment of Amma's government. There is no denial of this fact", Sellur Raju said.

Stating that the primary duty today was to safeguard the party, he said that it would not be appropriate for him as a Minister functioning under the Chief Minister to express his individual thoughts and opinions.

“I may have many likes and dislikes. However, my opinion is to control all those thoughts and work for the party as a true child of Amma,” he said.

Welcoming his comments, TTV Dhinakaran supporter C R Saraswathi said, the minister has spoken the truth and he has conscience. "More will come out soon," she added.