In Tamil Nadu, it may be ‘Sasikala’s party’

It appears that it is a mere formality now for Sasikala – close aide and surrogate sister of the late Chief Minister and General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, J Jayalalithaa – to take over the mantle as the party leader.

Wire services reported former Finance Minister and senior party leader C Ponnaiyan as saying that Sasikala was the “conscience” of Jayalalithaa and had been with the late Chief Minister through thick and thin for more than three decades. He said Sasikala qualified to be elected automatically and unanimously to lead the party. The party’s top decision-making bodies – the general council and the executive council – were expected to decide on the issue.

Ponnaiyan also reasoned that just as Jayalalithaa had been the natural successor to lead the party after founder MG Ramachandran’s passing, by virtue of being his “conscience”, Sasikala too was Jayalalithaa’s “conscience”.

Even as the State and the party faithful were waiting for an announcement on Jayalalithaa’s death, there was intense speculation on what Sasikala would do. There was even talk that she would become the Chief Minister, which was put to rest when O Panneerselvam was elected leader by the AIADMK Legislature Party, and sworn in as Chief Minister early on December 6, shortly after Jayalalithaa’s death was announced.

Hardly had the dust settled on the passing away of Jayalalithaa that posters started appearing urging Sasikala – party workers even started calling her ‘ chinnamma ’ (a Tamil word that amounts to something like a younger mother) – to take over the party leadership and lead it on the “path shown by Amma ”.

However, the transition has not been that smooth.

Even when Jayalalithaa’s body was lying for the people to pay homage, there were rumblings among the crowd that Sasikala and her extended family had occupied all vantage positions around the body.

There was expectation that the Gounders, a caste dominant in the western region of Tamil Nadu – another solid support base for the AIADMK like the Thevars, who have a large presence in the central and southern districts – would make a strong claim for the party leadership. All this was nipped in the bud and KA Sengottaiyan, a former minister in the Jayalalithaa cabinet and once the late leader’s trusted lieutenant, issued a statement declaring his unswerving loyalty to the party and its leadership.

In the days following Jayalalithaa’s death, AIADMK district functionaries have made a beeline to Poes Garden, where Sasikala continues to reside, to appeal to Sasikala to take charge of the party and thwart attempts by political opponents to break the party.

It remains to be seen whether Sasikala will be content being General Secretary or whether she has plans for a bigger play in State politics. The first test is whom the party nominates to contest from the RK Nagar constituency in Chennai, from where Jayalalithaa won the May Assembly elections. If Sasikala remains only the General Secretary, it will be the first time that the two posts – General Secretary of the party and Chief Minister of the State – will be held by different people.

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