Ponnaiyan says no indication of any contest for AIADMK general secretary post

Amidst demands for appointing late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s confidante Sasikala as the AIADMK general secretary ahead of Thursday’s crucial General Council meet, a senior party leader on Wednesday said there are no indications of any contest to the top post.

Asked if any candidate has filed nomination for the coveted post held by Jayalalithaa, AIADMK spokesperson C Ponnaiyan told reporters that “so far there is no indication of a contest”.

The General Council is “empowered” to take any decision on the matter relating to the election of the General Secretary, the only agenda of tomorrow’s meeting, he added.

Ponnaiyan said various organs of the party besides many of its senior leaders have been pitching for Sasikala to take over as General Secretary.

When asked if Sasikala will participate in the meeting, he said the General Council can elect a General Secretary, irrespective of whether any contestant attends it or not.

On the violence outside the party headquarters earlier in the day, he said, “If someone enters your house and creates problems, there is a consequence—an action has got a reaction.”

“However, we don’t justify the violence as this movement, launched by MGR (MG Ramachandran) and taken forward by Amma, does not condone violence,” Ponnaiyan added.

On former Chief Secretary P Ramamohana Rao’s contention that Income Tax raids would not have had happened at his house and office if Jayalalithaa was alive, Ponnaiyan said the raids were not conducted by the state government but by a central department.

Responding to a question on various conspiracy theories doing the rounds over Jayalalithaa’s health and her subsequent death, Ponnaiyan said he categorically dismissed them.