Chennai/IBNS: After the AIADMK's drubbing in Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha polls, late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's aide VK Sasikala has declared that her "entry" into the party has begun, media reports said.

"This is the time I have been telling you, there is no need for any concern," Sasikala, who is now the general secretary of AMMK, said as quoted by NDTV.

"For sure, the people of Tamil Nadu are on our side.... I am very strong... it cannot be thought that the AIADMK is finished and it is because my entry (re-entry) has commenced," she added.

Sasikala said this after her repeated attempts to take control of the AIADMK since its chief Jayalalithaa died.

She claimed the ruling DMK will have to answer her questions during her statewide tour.

Targeting AIADMK chief E Palaniswamy, Sasikala said as quoted by NDTV, "If the leader of the opposition (Edappadi Palaniswami) does not pose questions that he must ask, I am the opposition party, I am asking (those) questions."

Sasikala and her relatives were relieved of the AIADMK when Palaniswamy and former Chief Minister O Paneerselvam were united.

Later, Palaniswamy also sacked Paneerselvam to emerge as the leader of the party, which ruled the state for several terms.

In 2017, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court pronounced Sasikala guilty in the disproportionate-assets case, in which Jayalalithaa was also an accused.

The pronouncement had dashed Sasikala's hope to become the Chief Minister. She was released from jail in 2021.