‘My leader slapped me’: Expelled AIADMK MP breaks down in RS

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi/Chennai, Aug 01, 2016; Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa expelled MP Sasikala Pushpa from the AIADMK on Monday, apparently prompting the Rajya Sabha member to claim in Parliament that she had been “slapped” by her “leader” and that her life was under threat.

The dramatic developments came two days after Pushpa slapped DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the Delhi Airport, triggering a controversy and delaying a flight.

“Sasikala Pushpa sacked from the party for bringing ill fame to the party,” the AIADMK’s official Twitter handle read.

Raising the matter in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Pushpa broke down, saying that she had been slapped by the leader. “My dignity is under threat,” she said, demanding protection.

Pushpa -- who shares her name with a close associate of Jayalalithaa -- told the Rajya Sabha that Siva was “a decent man” and had apologised to her but she was now being pressurised to resign from the Upper House. “I will not do it,” she said.

The rivalry between Tamil Nadu’s big parties — the AIADMK and DMK — had led to a scuffle between two parliamentarians on Saturday.

Pushpa slapped Siva after he refused to travel in the same aircraft, airport security officials said.

The two, both Rajya Sabha members, were scheduled to fly to Chennai. Airline officials said Siva requested them to offload him because he didn’t want to share an aircraft with Pushpa.

Seeing Siva emerge from the security hold area, the upset AIADMK MP ran towards him and slapped him. Security personnel separated them before things got out of hand.