Sasikala conducts housewarming ceremony to her house opposite Jaya's Veda Nilayam

CHENNAI: V K Sasikala, confidante of late AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa's on Wednesday performed housewarming poojas at her newly built house in high profile Poes Garden.

The ground floor plus two-storeyed building was built in a sprawling campus opposite the residence of former chief minister Jayalalithaa's Veda Nilayam, which has been turned into a memorial. Soon, the door number 36/81 in Poes Garden would turn into the permanent residence of the Sasikala, who lived along with Jayalalithaa in the vicinity since 1989.

Sources said Sasikala and her sister-in-law Illavarasi reached the house around 5.30 am, while her nephew Vivek Jayaraman reached the house by 6 am to attend poojas.

They are still at the house. Though Sasikala's nephew and AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, who was in Chennai, expected to turn up for the pooja, he did not come.

"Preparation has been carried out discreetly for the poojas in the last couple of days. Since the construction is incomplete, she will move to the new house after four to five months. The plan of the house is identical to Jayalalithaa's Veda Nilayam where Sasikala lived for three decades, " said a source.

Sasikala left the house along with others by 9.30 am. The second story was built like a hall that can accommodate around 500 at a time to host meetings with his supporters, said the source.

The Income Tax department attached the property in the first week of September in 2020 after the agency found that the property belonged to Sasikala, but it was registered in the name of Sri Hari Chandana Estate Pvt Ltd. "After approaching the court and getting a favourable order, the property has been transferred to Sasikala's name from the private firm, " added the source. It may be noted that actor Rajnikanth is also a resident of Poes Garden.