AIADMK MP Pushpa gets 'slapped' from party, for slapping DMK MP

Two days after slapping her co-parliamentarian Trichi Siva of the DMK for defying her party chief J Jayalalitha, AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa was 'slapped' by her own party. Her behavior is learnt to have brought great disrepute to the party. Pushpa probably has become the only MP of her party to speak up against her chief. On Monday Pushpa broke down inside Rajya Sabha, pleading the chair for protection. Pushpa complained that there was a threat to her life in Tamil Nadu. Later she was seen cozying up with Congress, inside the Central Hall.

Pushpa made headlines on Saturday as she slapped Siva on a Chennai bound flight in Delhi, who allegedly abused Jayalalitha. However instead of getting applauded from her party, she has been shown the door. Pushpa now alleged that she and her family's life was at threat in her home state.

"I am now being slapped by my party leadership. I have some dignity as a human being. I could not even go home and meet my children and husband. Our life is in danger from the state government," said Pushpa as she broke down inside the house.

As Pushpa wept, she found support in the opposition benches. Both leader of the opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress and Naresh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party extended support and wanted the chair to allow her to speak more, so that she could spill more beans about her party. "She is a member of the house and she should be allowed to express her grievance. Please allow her to speak," said Azad. They also appealed to the chair for providing her security, which was later granted by the Chair.

"I have been expelled from my party. Now I am being pressurised to resign from the house," she said. Pushpa had met Jayalalitha over the weekend, who has apparently asked her to resign or face dire consequences. Pushpa still has four years left for her Rajya Sabha term.

Later during the day, Ahmed Patel, senior Congress leader and political secretary to the party president Sonia Gandhi met Pushpa at the Central Hall. The two spoke for over 15 minutes. Pushpa is learnt to have told Patel that she wanted the Tamil Nadu Congress to release a statement about her and that the state should give her protection. She has also desired to meet Sonia Gandhi and has requested Patel to oragnise a meeting.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, meanwhile, in a brief statement said that Pushpa was being expelled from all party posts, including primary membership, as she had acted in violation of the party principles and ethics. Jayalalithaa has also asked her party workers to snap all ties with Pushpa.