AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala, who was on Tuesday convicted in a disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court, said her thoughts will continue to remain with the party even from inside the jail.
"Only I can be jailed, not the care or concern I have for this party. Wherever I will be, my thoughts will be here," said an emotional Sasikala.
She said she will be thinking about the party round the clock.
She said the present case was "filed" by DMK and asked the partymen to strongly resist it.
Sasikala also said she was happy in a way that Jayalalithaa was not alive to "face difficulties," although she said she was not bothered to undergo such problems.
In her address to party MLAs hours after her conviction, Sasikala also stressed the need for staying united and exuded confidence that Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao would invite her party to form the government.
Earlier, newly-elected AIADMK legislature party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami had met Rao and staked claim to form government.
"For me, to form a government, to set up Amma's memorial, you should remain united," she said.
Sasikala, who later left the Golden Bay resort where party MLAs loyal to her were put up, said no force can wean her away from the AIADMK.
On Tuesday night, Sasikala headed back to her Poes Garden residence, which she shared with Jayalalithaa for 30 years.
She is likely to surrender in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning.
Late on Tuesday, AIADMK leader Gokul Indra said they have sought time from the court "on health grounds".
"We have asked the court for time on health grounds. We are waiting for a word from the court... We don't know when she (Sasikala) will leave for Bengaluru," Indra told CNN-News18.
IMAGE: AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala leaves from Koovathur Resort for Chennai. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo
