A week after
extending her support to rebel AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, Deepa Jayakumar,
niece of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, on Friday floated ‘MGR Amma Deepa
Forum’.
“I am beginning a new political journey,” Deepa said, adding that she took
the decision after a thorough analysis.Unveiling her outfit’s flag,
Deepa said her aim is to retrieve the symbol of the AIADMK — two leaves — and
to carry on the “good work” done by Jayalalithaa.
Deepa expressed her interest to contest from the R K Nagar Assembly
constituency from where Jayalalithaa was elected in 2016. “We will also contest
the local body elections,” she said.Describing the meeting with Panneerselvam as a courtesy call, Deepa said
that she never decided to join hands with him. “We want to
serve the people
separately,” she said.Asked about her brother Deepak Jayakumar rejecting
V K Sasikala’s nephew T T V Dinakaran’s leadership, Deepa said there was no
clarity in his statement.
“How can he (Deepak) suddenly say that he only supported Sasikala and not
Dinakaran? It is not clear.” Deepa hogged the limelight after she was denied
permission to see Jayalalithaa when she was hospitalised for more than two
months. Deepa is the daughter of Jayalalithaa’s only brother late Jayakumar.
Soon after the demise of Jayalalithaa, posters and banners hailing Deepa
were erected in several districts of Tamil Nadu with supporters urging her to
stake her claim over the AIADMK.Even after Sasikala took over the reins of the
party, Deepa’s popularity increased with supporters thronging her house daily.
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