Tamil Nadu MP Sasikala Pushpa on Monday wept in the Rajya Sabha and said there was a threat to her life after she was sacked from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for getting into a fight with a fellow Parliamentarian. Pushpa allegedly physically assaulted Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Trichy Siva at Delhi airport on Saturday. AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa said Pusha had brought disrepute to the party and asked for her to be dismissed.

Pushpa said that she was now being pressured to step down from her Rajya Sabha seat, and that she needed protection from the government. Earlier, the former Tuticorin mayor had claimed that she slapped Siva for criticising J Jayalalithaa. The altercation between the two resulted in their flight being delayed, and them being forced to disembark. Airport security officials told Hindustan Times that an argument broke out because the two had refused to be on the same flight.