“Sasikala is not qualified to be AIADMK General Secretary or Chief Minister,” former Assembly Speaker PH Pandian said on Tuesday.
Addressing media persons at his residence, Pandian, an AIADMK founding member, said VK Sasikala had betrayed the trust of late Jayalalithaa by taking over the party leadership within days of the latter’s death and manoeuvring to become the Chief Minister a month later.
On Sunday, the AIADMK legislators had unanimously elected Sasikala as the leader of the Legislature Party, following which Chief Minister O Panneerselvam submitted his resignation.
Pannerselvam, who was Finance Minister, was sworn in Chief Minister on the night of December 5, hours after the death of Jayalalithaa. On December 29, the AIADMK general council unanimously elected Sasikala as General Secretary.
Even then, there was widespread speculation that she would soon be Chief Minister. Though 62-year-old Sasikala had never been a political figure or faced an election, senior party leaders, including C Ponnaiyan and M Thambidurai, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, justified her selection on the basis of her close association with Jayalalithaa for over three decades.
Pandian said he had planned to express his objections to Sasikala’s rise to power on February 24, the birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa. But he was forced to speak out following the developments on Sunday and a sudden press conference on Monday by the doctors from Apollo Hospital where Jayalalithaa had undergone treatment for over two months, till her death.
Inquiry sought Pandian said a detailed inquiry must be conducted into the developments that led to Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation.
The former Chief Minister had never allowed Sasikala any role in the party or government. She had even thrown out Sasikala and her relatives from her house in 2011 for scheming to enter politics. Later, after Sasikala had apologised and assured in writing that she would not get involved in politics, she was readmitted into Jayalalithaa’s household.
Pandian, who had been among those who had framed the AIADMK bye-laws at the time it was founded, said Sasikala’s election by the AIADMK general council was not in line with the procedures laid down. Manoj Pandian, former Rajya Sabha MP of the AIADMK, said the party’s rules allow for the appointment of general secretary only after election by the cadres. There are over 1.5 crore cadres but Sasikala had used her influence to be elected by a 2,500-member general council.
Swearing-in Meanwhile, following the resignation of Panneerselvam, who continues in post till his successor steps in, Sasikala is expected to take over as the Chief Minister. The formal swearing in ceremony is awaiting word from the Governor Vidyasagar Rao.
In a separate statement, Leader of the Opposition and DMK working president MK Stalin has criticised Sasikala for destabilising the government.
He pointed out that Sasikala is facing Supreme Court ruling on corruption charges and amassing wealth. The Governor should consider these factors before taking a decision, he said in a statement.