Sasikala elected AIADMK gen secy unopposed

Chennai, December 29

VK Sasikala, a close aide of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, has agreed to head the party, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said here today.

Disclosing this to the media, Panneerselvam said Sasikala would formally assume charge as the party’s general secretary soon.

Earlier in the day, the ruling AIADMK passed a resolution that Sasikala was the only person fit to become the general secretary. There was no other contestant for the post. The party’s general council passed the resolution at its meeting in the morning.

According to the party constitution, a general secretary has to be elected by the basic members in Tamil Nadu and the office-bearers of party wings in Puducherry, New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Andaman. Till such time a person is elected by various wings, the general council has unanimously decided that Sasikala is the fit person to become general secretary.

Chief Minister Panneerselvam and other leaders attended the meeting. The council also passed a resolution condoling the death of Jayalalithaa and several other resolutions.

Later, Panneerselvam took a copy of the general council resolution to Sasikala, who resides at Jayalalithaa’s residence in Poes Garden here. Sasikala received the resolution, kept it before Jayalalithaa’s picture and bowed to it.

Soon after Jayalalithaa’s death, various leaders and party wings urged Sasikala to take charge of the party, though it was said leaders of other castes would not agree to have two persons from the Thevar caste—Pannerselvam and Sasikala—occupy the two top positions. However, no such conflict erupted in the party. — IANS