Ten days after the death of former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, party spokesperson C Ponnaiyan said that it is clear that her close aide Sasikala will be the next party general secretary.
Speaking to reporters outside the MGR memorial, where Jayalalithaa was laid to rest, Ponnaiyan on Thursday said, “It is the desire of the entire party that Chinnamma should become the general secretary.”
He went on to say, “Chinnamma has functioned as the conscience of Amma”.
Ponnaiyan also said that the general council and the executive council are expected to meet soon to decide on the party’s next leader.
Over the last few days, MPs, MLAs, senior party leaders and functionaries have made a beeline to Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence “Veda Nilayam”, where Sasikala resides. From chief minister O Panneerselvam to Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai – all have voiced their support for “Chinnamma” to take over the reins of the party.
Visuals of party functionaries appealing to Sasikala with folded hands at the portico of Veda Nilayam were beamed on party mouthpiece Jaya TV on Saturday. The channel even went on to call Sasikala “Ammaiyar” repeatedly during the course of the broadcast.
Sasikala presently holds no posts in the party.
On 19 December 2011, Jayalalithaa had expelled Sasikala from the AIADMK’s executive council along with 13 of her close relatives. She was, however, back months later after a public written apology. In her letter that was released to the press, Sasikala stated,
For 24 years, I have been living under the same roof. I have no ambitions either in the party or in the government. I have always devoted my life to ‘akka’ and the rest of my life will be to serve her.
Jayalalithaa had been the general secretary of the party for 27 years.
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