Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar launched the MGR Amma Deepa Peravai on her aunt’s 69th birth anniversary on Friday. She said the outfit was currently a “federation” working towards ousting the “traitor group behind the government”, ANI reported. Earlier, she had said she would contest elections from the RK Nagar constituency.

“My journey in politics begins today,” Deepa said while unveiling the political outfit’s flag. The former chief minister’s niece said “loyal All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party members” would support her. The political entrant said the outfit was not a new party but an “initiative to revive the AIADMK”, India Today reported.

Speculation was rife over Jayakumar and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam joining forces after they met at Jayalalithaa’s memorial, but she had denied any tie-up.

There has been a massive shift in Tamil Nadu politics after Jayalalithaa died in December 2016. Though incarcerated VK Sasikala had shot to the top of the AIADMK, her rise has been questioned by several people, including O Panneerselvam who had become chief minister after Jayalalithaa’s death. He was expelled from the party after revolting against Sasikala.

In January, Deepa Jayakumar had said she would launch her own political party on her aunt’s birth anniversary. She had earlier said, “I am here because of my aunt Jayalalithaa. I want to complete the tasks she left behind,” Jayakumar said. “Only a democratically elected person should become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Being with someone for 33 years is not a qualification for the post. People are scared of her [Sasikala], I am not.”

On Thursday, her brother Deepak Jayakumar had denounced AIADMK deputy general secretary and Sasikala’s nephew, TTV Dinakaran’s ascendancy to the role, saying he was not qualified for the post. He had said his sister was a better candidate than Sasikala’s nephews.