AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today sacked party MP Sasikala Pushpa from all posts of the party including the primary membership, two days after she slapped her DMK counterpart Tiruchi Siva at the New Delhi airport.

In a statement, Jayalalithaa said Sasikala Pushpa was being dropped from the AIADMK for causing disrepute to the party with her acts and for acting against the principles of the party. She requested party cadres not to have any contacts with her. Earlier in the day, Sasikala Pushpa informed the Rajya Sabha that she was facing threat to her life.

On Saturday, Sasikala slapped Siva at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, claiming that the latter allegedly criticised the AIADMK chief and the State government.

Speaking to the media after the incident, she said she slapped Siva at the Delhi airport because “he exceeded all limits while criticising Amma (Jayalalithaa) and her government”.

“How do you expect me to remain a mute spectator,” Sasikala replied when asked over phone whether she slapped him.
According to reports, security personnel separated them before things went out of hand. While Siva left the airport, she too cancelled her journey. It is said that Jayalalithaa summoned Sasikala Pushpa to Chennai on Sunday and sought her explanation on the incident.

The former Tuticorin Mayor went on to become AIADMK women’s wing secretary, the post from which she was removed in January this year, a week after the party’s general council meeting.