AIADMK meet today: Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala likely to replace O Panneerselvam as Tamil Nadu CM

There could be a change in the guards of Tamil Nadu politics as a section of ruling AIADMK MLAs are likely to urge VK Sasikala, a close aide of late J Jayalalithaa, to take over the reins of the coastal state's government at a meeting in Chennai on Sunday.

However, the sources did not commit on the agenda of the meeting and declined to confirm reports that the TN MLAs would urge Sasikala, the AIADMK General Secretary, to take over as Chief Minister.

“It is is all your imagination and guesswork,” a senior AIADMK leader said when asked about reports of Sasikala taking over from current Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Among others, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai has backed VK Sasikala for the Chief Minister’s post.

Also read: AIADMK General Secretay Sasikala names newborn as Jayalalithaa

Following late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5 2016, VK Sasikala was appointed AIADMK's General Secretary.

On Friday, Sasikala had appointed senior leaders, including some former Ministers and a former Mayor, to key party posts.Former Ministers K A Sengottaiyan, S Gokula Indira and B V Ramana, besides ex-Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy were made the AIADMK’s Organisation Secretaries.

The appointments also included that of Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar to a key party post in the government. 

She had also announced removal of Ambattur MLA V Alexander as AIADMK’s MGR Youth Wing Secretary.

He will, however, continue as the party’s Tiruvallore (East) District Secretary, Sasikala had said in a statement.

Last month, Thambidurai had said that the leadership in both the party and governance should be with one person, while urging Sasikala to take over as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. 

He had cited the political tussle in Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh to drive home his point that the control of government and party should vest with the same person.

Sasikala was appointed as General Secretary by AIADMK’s top decision-making body General Council on December 29. She took charge of the post on December 31, pledging to take forward the legacy of Jayalalithaa.

In December 2016, four state ministers had asked Sasikala to become the Chief Minister, besides AIADMK General Secretary.

A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of Tirunelveli Urban Jaya Peravai (Forum), led by state AIADMK secretary and revenue minister R B Udhayakumar on December 17.

The other ministers who participated in the meeting were V M Rajalakshmi, Sevoor Ramachandran and Kadambur Raju.

Sasikala, 62, had been a close aide of J Jayalalithaa for three decades and was always seen as a power centre in AIADMK party.

(With inputs from PTI)